ITF: Anti-Immigration Group Abandons C Stars Crew

Defend Europe The crew of the vessel C Star have been abandoned unpaid in Barcelona by its charterers, the rightwing youth group Defend Europe, according to the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). The ship was at the center of the groups efforts to block vessels rescuing refugees and migrants from sinking boats in the Mediterranean. Oh, the irony. This group charters a British-owned, Mongolian flag of convenience ship, with a Sri Lankan crew to protest migration into Europe. Then abandons the crew in Europe, David Heindel, ITF seafarers’ section chair, said. Crew members have claimed asylum, and the ship has reportedly both been investigated on suspicion of people smuggling and had to call for help from one of the NGO search and rescue vessels it was supposedly blocking, Heindel added. This vessel has been like a clown car on water: overcrowded, comical, and, just like the ‘mission’ it was on, the doors quickly fell off. Sadly, it’s no surprise that the overgrown schoolboys behind it all have now abandoned the crew and left them to be looked after by the organisations they aimed to castigate, the Red Cross, the Spanish Coast Guard and the local maritime authorities, he concluded. The ITF informed that there are currently eight crew on the ship, which has been moored at sea off Barcelona since September 26. The ITF is working with local port state control to provide the crew with food, water and fuel. A local ITF inspector confirmed that a decision has been made by port state control that the ship will be allowed to berth for humanitarian reasons.