Machine translation from English source
The ongoing global crew crisis has claimed the lives of two more cruise ship workers, the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) said.
The dead were a young female seafarer aboard the Princess Cruises ship, operated by Regal Princess, and a young crew member of the Royal Caribbean ship.
“While we are waiting for the results of the investigation, it turns out that a young Ukrainian sailor committed suicide in the port of Rotterdam while waiting to return home. We are currently seeking further information about the circumstances surrounding the death of this man on board Mariner of the Seas,” the ITF said in a statement.
The princess reportedly arrived in Rotterdam on May 6 to complete the repatriation process, and the sailors on board had planned to return on a charter flight on May 8, but it was cancelled. Crew members were informed that the next available voyage would be on May 12, but tragically the women jumped from the ship and died after her charter flight home was canceled (an electrical mechanic's job at sea vacancy).
Four crew members were reported killed in less than two weeks. On May 9, a Carnival crew member from Hungary died aboard Carnival Breeze and was found dead in his cabin by his crewmates. It follows the death of a Royal Caribbean crew member from Poland who jumped overboard from the Pearl of the Seas on April 30.
Due to a lack of international air travel and government restrictions, and with ports placing additional restrictions on seafarers working on cruise ships, getting seafarers home is very challenging and thousands of workers have been forced to stay behind.
“Seafarers are being punished by strict restrictions imposed by governments to curb the spread of the virus, despite the lack of any justification or scientific evidence that seafarers on cruise ships pose a greater risk than other categories of workers or members of the public,” commented David Heindel, Chairman ITF seafarers sections.
An estimated 150,000 seafarers are currently waiting to disembark or join ships, and tens of thousands are currently trapped on board ships around the world due to ongoing travel bans.
150,000 seafarers need a crew change (electrical mechanic job at sea vacancies)
Seafarers' unions
Seafarers' unions are calling for a similar response from governments, which have been facilitating the repatriation of tens of thousands of passengers from cruise ships around the world for weeks.
“It’s time for crews to be treated as humanely as passengers.” Just last week the ITF and our social partners warned that failure to do so risks seafarers' well-being, maritime safety and the supply chains on which the world depends. It's time to bring these sailors home before we see more people take their own lives,” Heindel added.
GMT helps repatriate seafarers
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has prepared a set of protocols that Member States and international organizations are encouraged to use and disseminate to relevant national authorities. Governments should then make appropriate adjustments to any existing health and immigration protocols and identify key airports that seafarers can use for crew changes so that airlines can help keep global logistics moving.
In an effort to help repatriate stranded seafarers, Global Marine Travel (GMT) has partnered with the International Maritime Employers Council (IMEC). In line with IMO guidelines, the duo aims to combine the shipping industry's crew travel requirements to produce enough volume for airlines to bring idled aircraft into service.
Based on need, GMT then arranges blocks of seats on scheduled carriers, seeks additional sections or larger aircraft on routes, and even arranges charter flights.
Source: worldmaritimenews
