Unions protest against illegal detention of Indian officers by Korea

A joint protest was held on July 31, 2008 by the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) and Maritime Union of India (MUI) at the office of the Directorate General of Shipping, Jahaz Bhavan, Walchand Hirachand Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai against the continued detention by the Korean authorities of Capt. Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan despite the District Court having declared them innocent. Seafarers turned up in large number demanding the immediate release of the two officers and petitioning the Indian government to intervene in the matter.

The protest was held following a joint call given by the Mr. Abdulgani Y. Serang, General Secretary – cum – Treasurer of the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) and Mr. S.S. Khan, General Secretary of the Maritime Union of India (MUI) under the banner of the Indian Seafarers Federation (ISF).

The shipping industry got together on this important issue and a Joint Industry Statement alongwith the signed petition from thousands of Indian seafarers were handed over to Capt. M. M. Saggi, Nautical Advisor to take up the matter with the Government of India.

A high-level industry delegation also met Mr. Yoon, Myung-kyu, Korean Consul, who has assured that the Korean Government will be informed about the anguish of the Indian shipping fraternity and is taking up the matter more seriously for a positive outcome.

Earlier Mr. Shigeru Wada, Mr. Mahendra Sharma and Miss Hye Kyung Kim representing the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) also met the detained seafarers in Seoul, Korea on 31st July. Their detention will be till 21 October, 2008. Mr. David Cockroft, ITF General Secretary will accompany the detained seafarers to the Court of Justice on August 01, 2008 to appeal for the lifting the exit ban.

It was informed at the protest march that the Government of India has taken up the matter with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and also their Korean counterparts.

Capt. Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan of the Hebei Spirit, a 260,000 dwt, very large crude oil carrier, had anchored their vessel at the location instructed by the Daesan Port on December 06, 2007 at 1918 hrs. The vessel displayed all the lights required by the collision regulations.

At 0702 hrs on December 07, 2007 the Hebei Spirit was struck while still at anchor by a passing crane-carrying barge Samsung 1, which was under tow of tugs Samsung T No 5 and Samho T3. A further tug was in attendance at the stern of the crane barge.

According to the local vessel traffic service records (VTS), at around 0635 hrs the tugs and barge had completely made it clear and past the Hebei Spirit, ahead of the tanker, passing from starboard to port side. There should have been no risk of any collision.

At around 0651 hrs the tow line connecting Samsung T5 and the crane barge
suddenly broke and the tugs lost control. As a result the crane barge began drifting back towards the Hebei Spirit due to effects of the strong winds, current and large windage of the crane.

The crane- barge collided with the Hebei Spirit on her port side at around 0702 hrs, some 11 minutes later, causing punctures to the hull and release of cargo into the sea.

Both Capt. Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan were taken into custody and wrongly charged for the incident. The District court acquitted them of the charges, but the Korean government did not release them.