Image used for representative purpose only.
| Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT
More than a year after remaining confined aboard a ship anchored in the high seas off Odisha’s Paradip coast following the seizure of cocaine valued at ₹220 crore, 11 of the 21 crew members of MV Debi have been released. The sailors had been stranded onboard as the Indian Customs Department continued its investigation.
As per the Customs, the 11 crew members, including six Vietnamese nationals, were allowed to disembark the ship. They will have to comply with the regulations of the immigration department.
The Asia Pacific Shipping Company, a Vietnamese firm that owns the Panama-registered vessel, will have to ensure proper maintenance of the ship with 11 new crew members. The company has to arrange for the balance crew within 21 days.
MV Debi arrived at the Paradip port from Egypt via the Gresik Port in Indonesia on November 29, 2023. On December 1, Customs officials seized 22.2 kg of cocaine from it. Since then, the department had been investigating the case.
Amid ongoing legal battles over the release of the carrier, the crew endured significant hardships while confined aboard the anchored ship. Sources in the Customs department said that several crew members struggled with mental health issues.
The ship’s captain had access to a satellite phone, allowing limited contact with their families back home, but interaction with the outside world was severely restricted. Essential supplies, including food, were periodically replenished, and Customs officials ensured the crew underwent regular medical checkups.
In January, a Vietnamese national serving as the ship’s third engineer sustained injuries under mysterious circumstances and was subsequently rescued.
Published – December 23, 2024 10:04 pm IST