Indian Ship Captain Locked in China – Cries for Help

Mangalore, May 23: It is 3 weeks since captain of a Kuwait-flagged merchant ship Adhimoolam Elango has been locked up in the radio room of the vessel that has been docked at Shenzhen port in China. The news of his captivity was sent by Capt Elango to his friend through an SOS. Since then the news of his captivity has been sent to authorities concerned such as director-general of shipping and the International Transport Workers’ Federation, London, for their intervention to seek his early release.

It is said that Elango has been locked up on board the vessel on charges of drinking alcohol by his Indian Master (a Punjabi, name not known) and his Pakistani Supervisor. Drinking on board the vessel is not banned but the captain said to have been drinking heavily since the death of his wife recently. According to coordinator of Sailors Helpline Elango was mostly involved in coastal shipping and this has been his first job on board a merchant vessel on the high seas.

In his SOS to his friend Daniel Joseph Capt Elango has indicated that his life is in danger as he has been detained inside the radio room on board the vessel.  Though he has been given food he had conveyed that the radio room has been welded with steel and all his communication equipments have been taken away from him and he is not allowed to talk to anyone.

In his SOS Elango has also conveyed that the merchant ship MV Hussa Alghanim had arrived at the Chinese port on April 7 and the dock supervisor began to harass him from April 18. It was on May 3, 2012 his supervisor charged him with drinking alcohol on board and locked him up.

Friends of Capt Elango have come to his rescue and have informed concerned authorities to take immediate action to relieve him from captivity. They have also got in touch with AMOS Ship Management in Mumbai, the agency which reportedly recruited Elango. Though they have suggested they hope to find a solution to the problem it is said that the agency has indicated it has no role to play in the operations of the vessel. According to shipping industry sources an ITF inspector in Hong Kong had tried to contact Elango but could do nothing as he was not able to contact the captain of the vessel on the phone.

Manoj Joy, Sailors Helpline co-ordinator has requested the Director General of shipping to intervene and secure his safe release.

Latest updates from different sources say that there have been no developments with regard to Capt Elangovan’s release. It has now come to know that he was not provided food for two days as the mess man forgot to deliver food to him and his condition is worsening each passing day. He is unable to communicate to anyone as all his communication equipments are confiscated.

The aged parents of Elango are grief stricken and are crying for help not knowing whom to approach to seek the release of their son.

It is expected that the External Affairs Ministry takes up the matter with the concerned and come to the rescue of Capt. Elangovan and his family.