Russian Sailors Return to Their Home Land from Vietnam

VLADIVOSTOK. August 25. VOSTOK-MEDIA – 26 Russian seamen, who intended to embark on a hunger strike to demand backpay and get opportunity to return to their home land, are expected to be repatriated from Vietnam before the 1st of September.

Earlier the Far Eastern regional organization of the Seafarers Union of Russia received a message, requesting to help Russian crews of the six fishing vessels, located at the Vietnam port of Ho Chi Minh, in their returning to Russia.

Nikolay Sukhanov, Chairman of the Far Eastern regional organization of the Seafarers Union of Russia told Vostok-Media that about 30 sailors from the Russian Far East are unable to go back to their native land for several months and that they don’t get their wages. The Seafarers Union intended to refer to the International Transport Workers Federation for help in repatriation of the seamen. The Russian sailors planned to hold a protest rally and to declare an indefinite hunger strike in order to get their wages and to return to their home land. The sailors say they have not got their wages for five-eight months.

“A representative of the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh stated that the ship promised to get the Russian sailors back before the 1st of September,” said Sukhanov. He also added that the air tickets for seamen have been already bought.

“Five sailors decided to stay on boards the ships to maintain the vessels and 26 crews’ members will return to Russia,” he said.

The crews, mostly consisted of Primorsky Krai sailors, were working on the following vessels: «Phuhai-1»,»Phuhai-2», «Phuhai-3», «Phuhai-5»,»Phuhai-7» and «Chukotka».