[ad_1]
– It’s horrible to see that people are so desperate in search of a better life, Chairman of the Board of Champion Tankers, Karl L. Kvalheim.
The company has received this image and it shows blind passengers at the helm. Photo: Unknown. Photo: Unknown.
When the ship “Champion Pula” reached Las Palmas, four Nigerian men were found at the helm.
It was NRK who first told the story of the blind passengers on the Bergen tanker.
Kvalheim at Champion Tankers tells BT that the four men had been hiding in a cavity behind the wheel for ten days.
According to NRK, he had unloaded in Lagos, Nigeria, and was on his way to Herøya in Porsgrunn to load liquid manure.
– A Spanish ship put the headlights at the helm. Then we saw the men sitting there, says Kvalheim.
He lived in cavities behind the wheel
It tells BT that there is a small cavity where the rudder goes up on the steering machine.
– It is not a large place where the four men have lived. Just below them, the propeller turns. They could easily have been made into fish food, he says.
The four people were discovered in Spain, but the authorities did not take charge of them. The ship was not allowed to continue traveling until it was decided what would happen to the men.
– The Spanish authorities refused a lot. We stayed there for two days before making a decision, Kvalheim tells NRK.
He received help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In the end, the Bergen shipping company received help from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Shipowners Association.
– The men went to Norway and Herøya, says Kvalheim.
The quartet was arrested upon arrival in Herøya on Saturday, October 17.
– I don’t know what happens next, says Kvalheim.
The police immigration unit informs the NRK that they cannot comment on individual cases.
– I think it is terrible to see people so desperate in search of a better life, Kvalheim tells BT.
He says this is not the first time ships have carried passengers with them.
– But it’s probably very rare that they hide behind the wheel. We will probably review our ships more thoroughly before they leave Nigeria from now on, he says.
According to NRK, the ship is insured with Gard insurance in Arendal.
The company confirms that it is aware of the incident, but does not want to comment further on the case.
