A new court hearing on the repatriation of the crew of the Unity tanker, which has been detained in India since May, has been scheduled for September 21, the Russian Consulate General in Kolkata said on September 17.
“The vessel is currently at anchor approximately 10 km off the coast of Paradip port. The issue of repatriating the crew is currently being linked by the Indian side exclusively to the need to replace the crew with a new one. <...> The court has scheduled the next hearing for September 21,” the consulate said, according to local media.
The vessel is carrying 20 Russian nationals, one Kazakh citizen and two Egyptian citizens, according to the consulate.
Food and drinking water supplies sufficient to last until the end of September were delivered to the tanker on August 19. The consulate said it had repeatedly appealed to India’s Foreign Ministry, relevant authorities and the port administration, while also requesting a consular visit to the crew.
The Cameroon-flagged tanker was detained on May 11 because of a commercial dispute. Since late July, an insurance company has been providing assistance with food supplies and has settled outstanding wage payments, although provisions remain limited. The consulate also noted that the crew’s contracts are due to expire.
On September 8, Anastasia Berenvald, the girlfriend of one of the sailors, said the crew had been forced to live on starvation rations in June, with each crew member eating four potatoes a day.
The vessel has also faced problems with repairs and power supplies. Larisa Kobzar, the wife of one of the crew members, said on September 16 that Unity was not receiving the spare parts required for repairs and was periodically left without electricity.
Despite the difficulties, Kobzar said, the crew continued to perform its duties and ensure the safety of the tanker.
By Tamilla Hasanova
