MV Jag Anand | Credit: Fleetmon
Key points
- MV Jag Anand anchored near Jingtang port in China’s Hebei Province since June 13
- MV Anastasia at anchorage near the Caofeidian port in China since September 20
- We have been ‘captive’ on a ship without clean water or a doctor on board: Crew
New Delhi: Indian sailors trapped in MV Jag Anand and MV Anastasia have asked 29-year-old navigational officer Gaurav Singh for help, saying that a crew member even tried to end his life.
While MV Jag Anand has been anchored near the Jingtang port in China’s Hebei province since June 13 and has 23 Indian sailors, MV Anastasia with 16 Indian nationals has been at anchor near the Caofeidian port in China since September 20.
Speaking to TOI, Singh said, “We are all losing our minds here.”
Meanwhile, the Union’s maritime transport minister, Mansukh Mandaviya, said that diplomatic discussion on the matter is ongoing and assured that “the seafarers will return to India soon.”
‘One member of the crew even tried to end his life’
China has prevented these ships from changing crews in their ports, saying this is being done to control the possible spread of COVID-19.
While China claims that the Indian sailors are receiving the necessary assistance, the crew has alleged that they have been held “captive” on a ship without clean water or a doctor on board.
On December 25, India said that two cargo ships were not allowed to unload their cargo, although some other ships have managed to do so.
“There is a considerable amount of stress on the crew members due to this unprecedented situation,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava.
Zhao also said there was no “link” between the two ships stranded in Chinese ports and their strained relations with India and Australia.
Considerable amount of stress on crew members: MEA
According to media reports, MV Jag Anand along with 21 other ships are transporting over USD 200 million of Australian coal and the ships have been held up in Chinese ports due to the current political situation between Beijing and Canberra.
India and China have been embroiled in a bitter confrontation along the Royal Line of Control (LAC) since the Galwan Valley incident in June.
China’s ties to Australia plummeted after the Scott Morrison government excluded Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies from its national 5G network due to national security concerns.
