Crew low on food

Chinese workers on a coal ship detained off the Queensland coast are again running out of food and must be allowed ashore, a union says. The International Transport Workers Federation says 20 Chinese nationals have now spent six weeks stranded aboard the foreign-owned Five Stars Fujian. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) detained the ship, which is laden with Australian coal, off Gladstone for labour breaches including a lack of food supplies and unpaid wages. One emergency food drop has been made but ITF assistant co-ordinator Matt Purcell says supplies are dwindling and the crew is in a very difficult situation.