Two sailors of seized Russian tanker in United Arab Emirates return home
The third crew member is due to arrive on November 15
VLADIVOSTOK, November 13. /TASS/. Two out of three sailors of seized Carolina Wind tanker in the United Arab Emirates have already arrived in Nakhodka in Russia’s Far Eastern Primorye region, the head of the Russian Professional Union of Sailors said on Monday.
The crew members of the tanker, which had been seized in the UAE port for several months, are due to return to Primorye soon. "Out of three people, who were to depart on November 9, two have already arrived: the third mechanic and a boatswain," Nikolai Sukhanov said.
The third crew member, a senior mechanic, is due to arrive on November 15.
The tanker remains in the port of Sharjah as its owner, Nakhodka-portbunker, lacks money to transport it to Russia. The vessel cannot be sold as it is pledged to Gazprombank.
A similar situation is with another vessel, Crystal East, carrying seven sailors, which was arrested upon a lawsuit of Gazprombank.
The two vessels were arrested among other property of the bankrupt company and have remained in the UAE since July. The situation with Crystal East was complicated as personal documents of sailors and vessel papers were held by the port authorities, thus hampering the Russians’ return home.
The Far Eastern transport prosecutors have launched an investigation into the violation of rights of sailors who were onboard the vessels seized in the UAE port.