Tanker crew stranded off UAE coast tell of return to a changed world


Nick Webster
  • English
  • Arabic

'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”

The haunted look in their eyes and the ragged clothes worn by the five abandoned sailors on the oil tanker grounded in Umm Al Quwain betrayed the horrors of their four years trapped at sea.

Stepping on board the battered 5,000-tonne vessel gave a stark indication of the ordeal faced by the crew of the Panama-flagged MT Iba.

Two of the men, first engineer Nay Win, 53, and Pakistani second engineer Riasect Ali, 52, had been on board since 2017.

Three others, Vinay Kumar, 31, Monchand Sheikh, 26, and Nirmal Singh-Bora, 22, all from India, joined the crew in late 2018.

When I talk with my parents I cry, and they do too

They have not seen their families since or been paid after the vessel's owner, Alco Shipping, ran into financial trouble.

They spent 43 months at sea and 32 months without pay. The company intends to tow the ship and will try to sell it to recoup losses and pay the crew.

Although detached from a world ravaged by coronavirus, they described life on the Iba as a "living hell".

Strong winds tore the ship free from its steel anchor in the early hours of Friday.

As the crew's possessions in the ship's quarters clattered around them and the vessel began to list, terror set in.

Their ordeal ended hours later when the empty 100-metre tanker, which had drifted three kilometres to shore, became grounded a hundred metres from an idyllic public beach.

"Every day we prayed, it was our only hope," said Mr Kumar, a second engineer, who has managed to stay in regular contact with his wife, Pushpa and two children, Nabia, 6, and Mukund, 3.

“We have all tried to stay strong, but it has been so hard.

“I know the children are no longer at school because of the coronavirus. It is frustrating I have not been able to help out.”

Thanks to an emergency food drop by the Mission to Seafarers charity, aided by volunteers from the Dubai Offshore Sailing Club, the men were looking forward to eating fresh eggs, fruit and vegetables for the first time in five months.

In that time, they survived on little more than chickpeas, rice and water.

Mr Kumar's thoughts have turned to being reunited with his young family in Uttar Pradesh as he hopes his misery on the Iba is at an end.

“In summer, it was impossible to sleep,” he said. “It was like a living hell. The deck was so hot, and there was no relief inside without air-conditioning.

“Some of the younger guys just disconnected from the reality of our lives at sea.”

Why can't they leave the ship?

For several reasons, the men cannot leave the vessel. One crew member, Mr Win, from Myanmar, doesn't have a passport, which remains with his former employer.

Were he to attempt to leave the ship and enter Emirates, or any country, he would be turned away.

Furthermore, international law prevents ships being abandoned as they would become a shipping hazard, and potentially an environmental one.

On board Mt Iba that ran aground in Umm Al Quwain on January 22. Nick Webster/The National
On board Mt Iba that ran aground in Umm Al Quwain on January 22. Nick Webster/The National

Special permission is also required to go ashore. Last year, a crew on another stranded vessel tried to sail ashore in a lifeboat but were turned away by Emirati coastguard.

Finally, the men are collectively owed about $170,000 in wages, and hope in vain to still collect some of that. Their families have racked up major debts in their absence and they have mortgages and school fees to pay.

If they are towed to Dubai Maritime City, permission for them to depart the vessel can be secured by the authorities.

A summer of hell

The youngest crewman was ordinary seaman Nirmal Singh-Bora, from India’s northern state of Uttarakhand.

At just 22, what started out as a young man’s adventure into a new world turned into a nightmare. He has not been paid for his time on board.

“I miss my family a lot,” said Mr Singh-Bora, who is single. “Every day I would wake up with an expectation of receiving some good news that we would be sent home.

“But all our days were wasted. What could I tell my family when I did not know when I would be home?”

A small section of the vessel’s deck was reserved for exercise, with simple dumb-bells and rudimentary weights the only equipment on board.

There was little room for running or a game of cricket. Conversation was the men's salvation and kept them strong, particularly during the hostile summer months of 45°C heat and humidity. They have developed a bond that will last a lifetime.

At the height of summer, the men took turns sleeping on the few raised beds outside on the deck. Those on the floor had to contend with cockroaches and other insects.

Monchand Sheikh, from Kolkata, has been on the tanker for 25 months and is another young sailor once filled with excitement by thoughts of a life at sea. Those dreams turned into a nightmare.

He was told he would be paid in full at the end of his contract, but has received just Dh1,500.

“When I started this job, I was excited,” he said.

“I am not from a rich household, I come from a very poor family.

“That’s why I came here, so I could build my own house some day and make my parents happy.

“When I talk with them I cry, and they do too. Now, they just want me back home.”

Routine and keeping up morale

Routine was a crucial foundation for keeping the men mentally well during their time on the Iba.

Each was assigned daily tasks to maintain the vessel, in the hope it would be sold for a good price so they will recover what they are owed.

Keeping up morale was left in the hands of Mr Ali and Mr Win, both seamen of many years' experience. Neither had endured such desperate times at sea before.

"Spending so long with these guys on the ship, we have become very close friends," Mr Ali said. "This experience has united us."

His wife, Rubina Kousar, and three children, Hasanin, 22, Saqlain, 20, and Samared, 14, have been in regular contact – but Mr Ali is wary of how he will be welcomed in Punjab after being away for so long.

"I have spoken with them regularly, but it has become more difficult for them and for me as time has passed," he said.

"It is hard for me to say, 'I cannot come home yet'. They don't understand."

Without an experienced captain or master seaman on board, seniority fell to Mr Win, the chief engineer.

Chief engineer Nay Win hopes to return to his family in Myanmar soon. Nick Webster / The National
Chief engineer Nay Win hopes to return to his family in Myanmar soon. Nick Webster / The National

He maintained contact with emergency support vessels from Sharjah and the Federal Transport Authority, each day hoping for news that the seamen could sign off and come ashore.

A distress call in the early hours of Friday as the ship broke free of its anchor was the start of what he hopes will be a journey home to Myanmar.

“The ship rolled to 45 degrees and everything inside the cabin was falling over and breaking,” he said.

“The kitchen equipment was smashing around us.

“The wind was just too strong. We asked four times to be brought in, because there was an earlier problem with the anchor.

“We knew it was in bad condition. Not even the lifeboat worked, so we knew we had to stay on the ship at all costs.

“It was very dangerous for us, but at least we can now hopefully go home.”

A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro
Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books 

Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.

The hotels

Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.

The tours

A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages. 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company profile

Name: Dukkantek 

Started: January 2021 

Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani 

Based: UAE 

Number of employees: 140 

Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service) 

Investment: $5.2 million 

Funding stage: Seed round 

Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office  

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CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID

1st row 
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Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)

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8th row 
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)

9th row 
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)

10th row 
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Voices: How A Great Singer Can Change Your Life
Nick Coleman
Jonathan Cape

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

 

Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE

Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:

• Buy second hand stuff

 They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.

• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres

 Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.

• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.

Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.

• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home

Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.

Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut

Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”

SQUAD

Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri

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Short-term let permits explained

Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.

Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.

There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.

Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champioons League semi-final, first leg:

Liverpool 5
Salah (35', 45 1'), Mane (56'), Firmino (61', 68')

Roma 2
Dzeko (81'), Perotti (85' pen)

Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

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While you're here
'Worse than a prison sentence'

Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.

“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.

“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.

“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.

“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.

“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”