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Motorship Sakhalin arrested in Hong Kong

The port authorities do not allow anyone to leave the ship

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

Photo EPA/ITAR-TASS

VLADIVOSTOK, April 4 (Itar-Tass) — The large Belize-flagged motorship "Sakhalin", which belongs to a Greek company and has a Russo-Ukrainian crew, has been arrested in Hong Kong. This was announced on Wednesday by Nikolai Sukhanov, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Seamen's Union, who had received a disquieting e-mail message from board the Sakhalin about the obtaining state of affairs.

Reason for the arrest of the ship is unknown so far. The seamen aboard the ship -- five citizens of Russia and sixteen citizens of Ukraine -- are demanding the payment of months-long wage arrears and repatriation at the expense of the shipowner.

The motorship is lying out at the roastead of Hong Kong. The port authorities do not allow anyone to leave the ship.

According to crewmembers, the ship is lacking fuel. Air conditioners and fans do not function, and the crew are experiencing a shortage of food and fresh water. During the latest run from India and China, the ocean-going transport experienced incessant malfunctions of the main propulsion plant. However, there are no spare parts to repair it.

Sukhanov applied to the Hong Kong Seamen's Union in a request for assistance to the crew of the motorship "Sakhalin'", for a solution to the seamen's problems connected with wage arrears, and repatriation. The Russian seamen applied for work aboard the ship in Novorossiisk.

The motorship "Sakhalin" was built in 1985. The ship with a deadweight of 25,680 tonnes is185 metres long.

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