Stranded Pak crew in Egypt to reach home soon

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Ambassador to Egypt Syed Mushtaq Ali Shah on Thursday expressed satisfaction with the completion of the process of repatriating the crew stranded on board MV Akkaz.

The last batch of the crew was brought by the embassy from the stranded ship in the Red Sea to Cairo, from where they will board different flights for Karachi and Islamabad, via Bahrain and Oman, said a news statement issued by the Pakistani Embassy at Cairo, Egypt. 

The ambassador explained that it was a complex mission, which involved non-cooperation from the Dutch charterer of the ship and its Kuwaiti owner, while the ship was moored out of Egyptian port due to its mechanical failures.

The mission was made possible by instant allocation of special funds by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad. The ambassador also thanked the Egyptian authorities for their full cooperation in allowing consular access to the stranded ship and facilitating provision of logistical assistance to the crew by the Embassy of Pakistan. 

It may be recalled that the ship, owned by a Kuwaiti company and chartered by a Dutch firm, set sail from Abu Dhabi on August 11, 2016, with cargo destined for Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt, and also The Netherlands.

The ship reached Suez waters in mid-October 2016 but could not enter the Suez Canal or the nearby port, due to mechanical failures and expiry of requisite licences. While the ship owner refused to repair the ship, the charterer failed to pay salaries or even supplies to the stranded ship and the crew.

When approached, the embassy provided not only legal and consular assistance to the crew but also food, water, medical aid and winter gear.

The captain and crew of the ship thanked the ambassador for effective support which helped them endure the adversity caused by refusal of their Dutch employer and Kuwaiti owner of the ship to honour their obligations. They particularly appreciated continued support and timely provision of assistance by the embassy, which helped them overcome the inhospitable conditions.