22 Ukrainian sailors in India waiting for settlement of problem with wage payment, says Foreign Ministry
Twenty-two Ukrainian sailors have become prisoners of a situation with the non-payment of wages by their Indian employer and are staying in India in order to resolve the problem, the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine has said.
"The Foreign Ministry jointly with the Embassy of Ukraine in India are taking measures to protect the rights and interests of the state-run company Cherazmorput [Black Sea & Sea of Azov Dredging Company] and the Ukrainian sailors on these vessels," the ministry's press service told Interfax-Ukraine on Thursday.
According to the ministry, Ukraine's Embassy in India is taking a range of measures aimed at settling the situation. In particular, it has sent official letters to the central and regional executive agencies and branches of the Indian Red Cross Society to ensure that the Ukrainian citizens receive qualified medical aid.
"The Embassy of Ukraine in India has sent to the Indian Foreign Ministry another verbal note in which it expressed its concern about the situation with the Ukrainian sailors and asked to help our citizens to receive their wages," the ministry said.
Ukraine's honorary consul in Mumbai is also monitoring the situation. The consul has proposed the Ukrainian sailors return home at the government's expense, but they decided to stay in the territory of India until their Indian employer pays their wages.
"On July 31, the High Court of Bombay considered a lawsuit of the crewmembers of the vessels against an Indian company with a demand to return the wage debt. Because of the Indian company's financial inability, the presiding judge ruled to arrest four vessels and auction them in order to pay wages to our sailors," reads the ministry's statement.