Nine seafarers, including five from Montenegro, and one each from Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Georgia, have been surviving in extremely inhumane conditions for months in the Italian port of Genoa on the ship "Santa Cruz" - without wages for four months, without medicine, vitamins and basic cosmetics, writes Radio Kotor.
They only have enough drinking water for today, their air conditioning is not working, and due to the high temperatures, exhaustion and dehydration are further worsening the situation, the media outlet writes.
Electrician Sreten Antunović said that the situation on the ship is further deteriorating.
"We didn't get lunch yesterday, and breakfast hasn't been prepared for us for two and a half months. However, lunch finally arrived thanks to the Stella Maris organization, whose representatives brought the groceries," Antunović told Radio Kotor.
He also praised, as he stated, the quick reaction from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, especially Maša Štampić, who, as he claims, repeatedly urged the 'Stella Maris' organization.
"Yesterday, we were visited by representatives of the powerful Italian transport union FIT-CISL Liguria (Federazione Italiana Trasporti – Confederazione Italiana Sindacati Lavoratori), who first spoke with the ship's owner, and then, at our insistence, with the crew. On that occasion, the owner showed a document confirming the receipt of money from the company 'Lauris Charters', and was given until Monday to resolve the problem - otherwise the ship will enter the legal status of an arresting ship. Our agony, however, may last longer due to the procedures that must be followed according to the P&I insurance club with which the ship is insured," said Antunović.
He adds that union representative Antonio Enzo Vella was on the ship yesterday, and that they communicated directly several times, during which he requested his intervention and arrival.
"Due to work on the elevator, which is as old as the ship itself, yesterday there was almost a serious incident in which a crew member could have been injured. We did not have a work order for performing dangerous work, which must be signed by the owner. However, he is only interested in getting something fixed - and on parts that, by all rules, are the sole responsibility of an authorized service. You can imagine that we don't even have bread for lunch, or the cook has to buy it out of his own pocket," warned Antunović.
Of the nine crew members, five are Montenegrin citizens – two from Herceg Novi, one from Risan and two from Bar. The editorial staff of Radio Kotor has been in daily contact with the seafarers from Montenegro since June 30th.
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