The International Transport Workers’ Federation communicated some sad news for seafararers around the globe today.
Konstantin Metelev, chief mate on the Coral Sea, died earlier this month in hospital. He had been detained for a year along with two other officers after Greek authorities found drugs in the cargo on their ship.
They were all cleared last year but Metelev was too ill to return home.
“We consider him another victim of the underserved criminalisation of seafarers,” the ITF said.
This subject is close to my heart. Some years ago, I interviewed Apostolos Mangouras, the master of the Prestige, the tanker that sank off Spain in 2002 and caused a devastating oil slick.
It was the only time he spoke to a journalist. He was facing – and still faces – the possibility of charges in a Spanish court.
Authorities in Spain allege that he disobeyed orders and was partly responsible for the spill. He claims he simply did his job and that, had the Spaniards allowed the vessel into a sheltered spot, it could have been saved.
I can understand why seafarers are targeted in this way, but I can’t accept it. It’s the age old scapegoat tactic. Seafarers are easy targets.
