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HYDERABAD: Eighty seven Indian sailors are stuck and suffering hardships on five ships that were detained by Indonesia for “illegal anchoring” about four months ago.

Their documents have been seized and they are not being allowed to return to India, forcing the men to live in tough conditions.

One of the sailors contacted TOI and said that the men are from different parts of India. He said on condition of anonymity that another four ships appear to have been detained by the Indonesian authorities but there are no Indians on them.

Most of the ships were detained in the Singapore Strait on different dates in February for anchoring in what Indonesia claims to be its territorial waters. Sources in the shipping industry say there is a dispute over territorial waters between Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia . Given that three countries are involved in the dispute, getting detained ships released can be difficult.

On February 19, the Standard Club, a specialist marine and energy insurer with offices in Singapore, London and New York, issued a web alert on ship detention in the strait. The club pointed out the industry advisory issued by the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) and highlighted a number of cases where ships anchored in waters around the island of Batam (on the southern side of the strait) and near Bintan (on the eastern side of the strait) were being detained by Indonesian authorities as part of their effort to “combat smuggling”.

“…the waters in the Strait of Singapore and Malacca may not necessarily be international and will be claimed either by Malaysia, Singapore or Indonesia,” it said.

Among the Indian seafarers, a third officer from Kerala, who is stranded on MT Bliss, pleaded that he be allowed to return as his father had passed away on April 9. He added that his wife was pregnant and the due date was in the first week of June. His mother is also unwell.

Another sailor told TOI that he had joined a vessel from Singapore which traded in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. On February 1, the ship had dropped anchor in the outer port limit. “On February 9, the Indonesian navy boarded our vessel and informed us that we had dropped anchor in their territorial waters without their permission. They informed the master (captain) that the vessel had been detained and told us to proceed towards Batam,” he said.

Sources added that there are 20 Indians on MV Win Win, which was detained on February 17. On MT Afra Oak, which was detained on February 12, there are 21 Indian nationals. Another 23 Indians have been stranded on MT SG Pegasus since February 9. MT Bliss has two Indians, while on MT Agros, detained on February 8, there are 21 Indians.

The plight of the seafarers has caused concern in the shipping industry in India. “This is unfair treatment of seafarers. If ships have been detained, the issue should be settled with the shipping companies. Why should the seafarers suffer? It’s traumatic for them and their families,” said Capt Sanjay Parashar from the Indian shipping industry.

The shipping companies are giving seafarers their salaries and taking care of their needs but have not been able to get their detained ships released so that the sailors can go home.

