Fishermen stranded

13 Indonesian trawlermen – who are 12,000km from home – go to gardaí in Dingle in row over pay and conditions

‘Unbearable conditions’

SOME 13 Indonesian fishermen have been stranded in Dingle, Co. Kerry, after they turned up at the local Garda station complaining that they have not been paid in months.

The men, who are 12,000 kilometres away from Indonesia, have no way home and said they could not stay on the ship any longer. They have been stranded in the town for nearly a week and a half.

Workers on the trawler Christian M claim they have not been paid and that they are working in ‘unbearable conditions’, according to the International Transport Workers Federation.

When 13 of them left, they headed straight for Dingle Garda Station, where they complained about their treatment and asked for help. The ITF has now called for the immediate payment of all monies they claim are due to them and assistance to return home.

ITF inspector Michael Whelan said: ‘They have stated that for months they have been working on the UK-registered vessel without their working hours being properly recorded and in oppressive conditions,’ he said.

‘The vessel is currently detained in Dingle Harbour under the authority of the Irish Maritime Survey Office and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency as it [the vessel] is being investigated for numerous alleged violations.’

He alleged that the fishermen remain on board the vessel ‘without any commitment from the owner to pay them the monies’ they claim are outstanding.

‘We are demanding the immediate payment of all monies due to these men by the owners of the vessel and assistance in their repatriation to Indonesia,’ said Mr Whelan. ‘Although the situation in Dingle is an extreme case, it is of a type which unfortunately is coming to the attention of the ITF regularly.’

The UK-registered Christian M was last detained at Castletownbere, Co. Cork, in November 2017.

On that occasion, officers from Britain’s Marine and Coastguard Agency examined the trawler, which was being detained over complaints from crew and an infestation of cockroaches.

An MCA spokesperson told the Irish Examiner at the time: ‘A surveyor from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been on board the 100ft vessel and conducted a thorough inspection.

‘It has been fumigated twice and is now free from infestations.

‘There remain a number of outstanding issues that mean the vessel will continue to be detained, including the condition of the accommodation and training. The MCA surveyor is working with the skipper and an agent of the owner to address these issues.’

The issue was eventually resolved when the owners agreed to pay €23,000 in wages owed to the Indonesian fishermen.

The vessel owners could not be reached for comment last night.