SEAFARER FREE AFTER 12 YEARS
Abdul Nasser Saleh is finally home with his family in Egypt, the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) is delighted to announce.
By the end of his ordeal, Abdul, a Syrian national, was owed over US$178,000 in wages and had not been paid for nine years – but he knew that if he stepped off the ship, he would be unlikely to ever see a cent.
The ship entered the port of Jeddah in June 2022. The ITF urged the Saudi Arabian maritime authorities – as the only hope and last resort – to end Abdul’s suffering caused by years of gross negligence by the ship owner, Abalkhail Marine Navigation, and the complete failure of Tanzania to uphold its duty as flag state – the country where the ship is registered.
Thankfully, in March 2024 things started to move, and in April, Abdul was given his life back. He told the ITF about his joy at being reunited with his family: “I cannot describe the feeling I had [leaving the ship]. I felt like I could run home to Egypt from Saudi Arabia. That I didn’t need to take a plane because I was so happy.”
While welcoming Abdul’s release, the ITF has also condemned this case as a huge failure of the maritime industry and policymakers to ensure the basic human rights of seafarers.
Full article: Seafarer free after 12 years | ITF Global