Dubai, Jul 24: Five sailors who were stranded in UAE waters for almost a year, managed to fly back to India on Sunday, Jul 23.

The number of distress calls from Indian sailors stranded in UAE waters had hit its peak this summer. Over 100 Indians sailors were living on ships in anchorage with limited food and fresh water. The living conditions were pathetic and some even tweeted Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj for help.

Majority of the sailors have complained about not being paid by their employers for several months. Some said that the owners of the ships had their passports and remained untraced. Without payment and sign off papers, the sailors were languishing in the foreign waters.

On Sunday, ordeal of five such sailors stuck on ‘MV Sharjah Moon’ came to an end.

“With our persistent efforts, five Indian sailors of Sharjah Moon stuck for many months returned home,” Indian Consul General in Dubai Vipul said in his tweet after the departure of sailors from Sharjah International Airport. Vipul noted the assistance provided by the UAE’s Federal Transport Authority, Consulate General of the Republic of Panama and social worker Girish Pant.

The crew of MV Sharjah Moon had been at anchorage since July last year. Since they were not provided with food, water and fuel for several months, and their requests for signoff were not heeded by their company Alco Shipping, they docked the vessel in Sharjah’s Hamriya Port without permission on May 9. They then sought the help of social worker Girish Pant to contact the Indian consulate.

While the mission provided them with provisions and managed to send back the ship’s captain Jaiprakash Badri, who is from the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, on July 1, five others Subith Sukumaran from Kerala, Amit Chandel from Himachal Pradesh, Naib S from Haryana, Vikram S from Punjab and Harendra S from Uttar Pradesh had to wait.

Subith Sukumaran (24) had lamented that he had not seen his parents for three years. Harendra Singh from Uttar Pradesh lost his father when he was stranded in the vessel and could not even attend his funeral.

Though the owner is yet to settle six months’ salary of the sailors, Subith says he is not bothered and could not wait to reach home.

As of July 1, a total of 97 Indian sailors were languishing aboard 22 ships in UAE’s waters for several months.

Indian Consul General in Dubai Vipul on Sunday said that 53 of them had been sent back home so far.

“With the help of the FTA, the UAE’s Federal Transport Authority, and by taking up issues directly with owners and agents, we have sent back the following number of sailors from the vessels: Sharjah Moon: 6 sailors, Iba: 6, Rojean: 11, Spirit: 9, Inchon: 3, Enjaz II: 3, Salem: 3, Sea Patrol: 3, Jude: 3, Shaker II: 2, Ocean Grace: 1, Ayah: 1, Sanad One: 1 and Sea Safe: 1 sailor,” he said to a UAE newspaper.