The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has reported that two Italian ships are anchored in Turkey, while their crew members are waiting for the payment of wage arrears.

"According to our Consulate General in Istanbul, at the end of last week, diplomats were addressed by members of the crew of the Tiger vessel, which has eight Ukrainian crew members. They have not received their wages from the owner of the ship for several months," the Foreign Ministry's spokesman Yevhen Perebyinis told Interfax-Ukraine.

According to him, six of them went on hunger strike. The staff of the Consulate General is in constant contact with the Ukrainians and has offered the sailors to stop hunger strike and to settle the situation legally.

The Embassy of Ukraine in Italy is also working to resolve this issue, as the owner of the vessel is an Italian company, the Foreign Ministry's representative said.

In addition, according to the Foreign Ministry, five Ukrainians – members of the Leopard ship's crew, appealed to the Consulate General of Ukraine in Istanbul on Monday complaining of a similar situation with their ship which is anchored off Istanbul. "Our Consulate General is currently deciding on launching legal procedures that would allow returning wages (to the sailors)," Perebyinis said.