Nearly One Hundred Indian Seafarers Stranded off UAE

Nearly 100 Indian seafarers are in UAE waters, and distress calls on the rise, reports the Gulf Times.

The Indian mission has been approached by 97 seafarers from 22 ships abandoned in the region about lack of pay, lack of food and water and harsh living conditions.

India's Consul-General said that distress calls have been on the rise. An unknown number of seafarers from Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Myanmar and Pakistan are also stranded on the vessels.

The consulate has been making arrangements to provide them food, water and recharge their mobile phones. The mission has urged seafarers to check the financial status and credibility of companies before joining them.

The news comes after recent reports of a number of stranded vessels including the Sharjah Moon docked at Hamriyah Port in Sharjah in the UAE. The  vessel, with six Indian crew members and one Sri Lankan crew member, has been stranded since July 2016. Those on board are owed at least eight months' pay.