Indian crew members aboard a Maldivian cargo vessel docked in Dubai have threatened to drown the ship’s captain over unpaid salaries, fellow workers have alleged in local media.
Six of the Maldivian crew aboard the Waadhee Progress vessel, currently docked at a harbour in Dubai, claim to have been continuously threatened by Indian crew members for the past three months.
A crew member told the Sun Online news agency yesterday (January 4) that the foreign nationals working on the ship were unhappy with the situation as they had not been paid for an entire year.
The crew member further alleged that the foreign crew had threatened to drown the ship’s captain if the alleged issue of outstanding salaries were not paid by the end of today (January 5).
Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef told Minivan News that authorities were looking into the matter, but had received little information on the vessel’s situation at present.
A crew member working aboard the Waadhee Progress has told local media that due to the vessel’s current location, it was hard to clarify the exact situation on-board.
He further alleged that an assault between the foreign crew on a previous occasion had left a fellow employee with stab wounds.
“We also haven’t received our salaries for as long as [the foreign crew]. They are threatening us. They carry knives and iron bars. The last thing they said was that the captain will be drowned if the salaries are not paid by the end of tomorrow,” the Maldivian crew member claimed.
“We are scared, haven’t even been sleeping. The company has said that they have contacted the coast guard and the police and they are looking into it. But we are still in the same situation. We have, sort of, been hijacked.”
Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Spokesperson Colonel Abdul Raheem said that the country’s coastguard had received no information regarding the incident at present.
“This matter will probably be taken up by the respective foreign ministries in Dubai and Maldives. I should imagine the Transport Ministry will also be looking into the matter,” Raheem told Minivan News.
The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) was not responding to calls from Minivan News at the time of press.
State Transport Minister Mohamed Ibrahim said that he was still involved in “airport matters” when contacted today, and was unable to comment on the issue, forwarding Minivan News to other sources in the ministry.
Meanwhile, an official from Waadhee Shipping and Trading – the company who own Waadhee Progress – told local media that the company had been informed of the situation and were looking into it.
Minivan News was awaiting a response from the company at time of press.
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ok drown the ship.
The common sense says here - give them their salary and fire them out of job. But when it comes to business, common sense is scarce.
@Reen on Sat, 5th Jan 2013 11:06 PM
A ship would not know how to drown it's self because it has no life unless owners, managers, master and the crew puts life on to it!
So why drown the ship? Would the crew get their money then?
No!
None of these peoples seem to know their duties, or perform their duties in the proper manner!
Maritime Law is a strong law that has been formed after decades and decades of rough sailing, and is a tested one!
There can be no way a ship crew can not been paid for an year! It is surprising!
However, if the crew can survive without being paid for a year, I would say that they are either mad, or are mischievously surviving by pilfering cargo!
To my belief, this is the result of incompetency on the part of everyone involved here, including owner, manager, master and the crew too!
Common sense says how a company can not pay it's employees for an entire year? Would you not get upset? Taking the poorest people, let them work very hard and don't pay them?
Pay up or drown, simple really.
um read the article,,, they are saying to kill a man.. "drown the captain". not sink the ship... bt why hasnt waadhee paid for a year? serves them right i guess
listen alll am that oiler frm india who was working there tht time
main this we were working thr
working hard all day night but didnt get salary. so tell me how u will feel whn u will not get ur whole year salary. our family want money we r working for our family