Humanitarian Crisis Aboard Alan, Abandoned in Türkiye Since 2023

Humanitarian problems aboard the vessel Alan, which has been abandoned in Türkiye since 2023 and was previously known as Pink and Sea Inca, have come to light. The 10 Indian crew members on board have appealed to the authorities for help, saying they have not received their wages for approximately eight months and are struggling to access food and drinking water.

The crew members said they had been unable to contact the shipowner or the agency, that their wages had not been paid for a long time, and that they wanted to return to their home country. They reported that the generators were not working due to a lack of fuel on board, causing serious problems with electricity and heating. It was also stated that, at one point, the crew had been forced to boil seawater for drinking because they could not find drinking water, while some crew members had experienced health problems.

In a statement on the matter, officials from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) said they had notified relevant organisations, particularly the International Labour Organization (ILO), about the abandonment of the vessel and its crew. It was stated that the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs and the Tuzla Regional Port Authority were working to resolve the vessel’s situation and protect the crew’s rights, while the Turkish Red Crescent had also provided the crew with water and food supplies.

It was reported that part of the cargo on board had deteriorated, living quarters had become unsuitable in terms of hygiene, and the vessel’s uncontrolled presence in Turkish territorial waters posed a risk to navigational safety. Meanwhile, officials pointed out that the crew did not have sufficient means or the necessary command of the vessel to intervene in an emergency, weigh anchor or take the vessel to a safe location. While the crew members are demanding that their wages be paid and that they be repatriated as soon as possible, ITF officials have called on international organisations and the relevant parties to fulfil their responsibilities.

"We have not been paid for eight months; we want to return to our country"

Amar Shakti Nag, who works as the vessel’s third engineer, said they had not received their wages for approximately eight months and were trying to survive under extremely difficult conditions. Stating that some crew members had joined the vessel in February and that he had joined on 27 February, Nag said they had not received any wages since then. He said no payments had been made to their bank accounts and that the shipowner and agency had failed to keep the promises they had made to them. Nag stated that there was not enough food or drinking water on board, adding that the supplies provided to them would have lasted approximately 10 days, but had been distributed on the expectation that they would make them last for 30 days.

Describing the desperate situation they faced after their drinking water ran out, Nag said that, approximately three to four months later, they had been forced to collect seawater, boil it and drink it. He stated that some crew members had experienced serious health problems during this period and that two or three people had fallen ill. Nag said they had contacted the ITF and called for urgent assistance because of the problems faced by the crew. He also explained that, after one crew member’s condition deteriorated, emergency response teams had come aboard and provided medical assistance.

Nag said the generators were not working due to a lack of fuel and that they had been without electricity for approximately eight months. He explained that they had previously managed to run the generators for short periods of one or two hours, but that they had now run out of fuel. Pointing out how difficult it was for 10 people to live on board in cold weather, Nag said they were trying to survive by sharing the limited food they had.

Nag said the ITF had been supporting them for the past three weeks, adding that the shipowner and agency were not answering their calls. He stated that they had sent emails to the companies and the authorities in Türkiye, but that their problems had still not been resolved. Nag appealed to the authorities, saying:

"We want the Turkish government and the ITF to help us. We want to return to our country. We have not received our wages. We have been working for eight months, but no payment has been made. It is also very difficult for us to return to our countries without receiving our wages. Please help us and make it possible for us to go home."

"This is a form of abandonment incompatible with human dignity"

ITF lawyer Arif Sinan Ünlü stated that the vessel had been abandoned in Türkiye since 2023. He said the vessel had previously operated under the names Pink and Sea Inca and was currently named Alan. Ünlü made the following remarks on the matter:

"Through the initiatives of the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs and the organisation of our port authorities, efforts are being made, together with non-governmental organisations, to support people and seafarers aboard abandoned vessels. This is because, once a vessel loses its economic value, nobody wants to take responsibility for it. These vessels fly foreign flags and their crews are also foreign nationals. Since Türkiye lies along the transit routes of these vessels, they end up remaining here. This vessel has also been abandoned since 2023. Its first name was Pink, then Sea Inca, and now it carries the name Alan. It has been in port for approximately three years. As far as I personally know, there are more than 10 other vessels that have been completely abandoned. In some cases, it is not even possible to reach those responsible for these vessels through legal channels. There are crews of 10 to 15 people on board. However, because the human factor is not regarded as an economic asset, these people are abandoned along with the vessels. They are deprived of even the most basic necessities, such as food, drinking water, healthcare and heating. They can see the shore, but they cannot reach it. This is a form of abandonment incompatible with human dignity. International mechanisms need to be activated. Very few countries outside Türkiye assume responsibility for this issue. The flag states of these vessels do not even respond to the emails sent to them."

"The crew have been trying to survive for months on food and water delivered by us and others providing support"

Drawing attention to the lack of response despite appeals to all relevant and necessary institutions following the unlawful abandonment of the vessel, Ünlü continued:

"We notified the International Labour Organization (ILO) about the abandonment of the vessel and its crew under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). We also sent notifications to the vessel’s P&I insurer, flag state, shipowner, operator and the recruitment agencies in India that had supplied the crew. We asked them to fulfil their obligations, pay the crew’s wages and arrange their repatriation. However, although the vessel flies the flag of Cameroon, the flag state has not assumed any responsibility. Despite the vessel having an insurance policy, its P&I insurer has also failed to provide support to the crew. The shipowner has not responded to our attempts to make contact. The vessel’s representatives said they would resolve the problems, but the process was repeatedly delayed. During this period, no food, water or humanitarian aid supplies were delivered to the crew. For months, the crew have been trying to survive on food and water delivered by us and others providing support. Today, the Turkish Red Crescent also provided the vessel with water and food supplies. The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs and the Tuzla Regional Port Authority are providing significant support in getting the vessels removed from here and protecting the seafarers’ rights. There are currently 10 Indian crew members on board. These people have effectively been left to die. They have reached a point where they have had to drink seawater after running out of drinking water. There is also no fuel on board that they can use for cooking or heating. At times, they try to cook food over wood fires or cook fish if they can find any. They can only use solar energy to an extent that allows them to charge their phones. The vessel’s living quarters are in extremely poor condition and hygiene standards are inadequate. This increases the risk of the crew falling ill. The small amount of corn cargo remaining on board has also deteriorated, causing flies to develop. For this reason, the crew have to wear masks. Furthermore, the vessel’s presence in Turkish territorial waters also poses a risk to navigational safety. Particularly in stormy weather, an uncontrolled vessel could drift and collide with another ship. The port authority is aware of this risk and is working around the clock. Although there are crew members on board, they do not have sufficient command of the vessel or the means to intervene, weigh anchor in an emergency, move the vessel offshore or take it to a safe location. Therefore, the situation needs to be resolved as soon as possible, both in terms of the crew’s living conditions and the safety of maritime traffic."

"The wages of the 10 Indian crew members must be paid and their repatriation arranged"

ITF Inspector Selahattin Polat stated that the situation involving the vessel Alan had been ongoing since 2023 and that notifications had been sent to international organisations and the companies responsible regarding the abandonment of the vessel and its crew. Polat said the vessel had previously operated under the names Pink and Sea Inca and was currently named Alan, before providing the following information:

"This vessel has been abandoned since 2023. We notified the International Labour Organization (ILO) about the abandonment of the vessel and its crew under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC). In addition, we sent notifications to the vessel’s P&I insurer, flag state, shipowner, operator and the recruitment agencies in India that had supplied the crew. We asked these institutions and organisations to fulfil their obligations, pay the crew’s outstanding wages and arrange their repatriation. However, despite the vessel flying the flag of Cameroon, the flag state has not assumed any responsibility. Although the vessel has insurance, the P&I insurer has also failed to provide the necessary support. The shipowner has not responded to our attempts to make contact. Although the vessel’s representatives said the problems would be resolved, the process was repeatedly delayed. The crew’s basic needs, including food, drinking water and other humanitarian aid supplies, were also not met. The people on board were forced to live for months without sufficient food and drinking water. During this period, we and others providing support delivered food and water to help them meet their needs. Today, the Turkish Red Crescent also provided the vessel with water and food supplies. The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs and the Tuzla Regional Port Authority have provided significant support throughout this process. Work is underway to remove the vessels from their current locations, protect the crew’s rights and resolve the problems they are facing."

"The vessel's living quarters are in extremely poor condition and hygiene standards are inadequate"

Emphasising that the difficulties faced by the crew also posed a serious risk to their health, Polat said:

"There are currently 10 Indian crew members on board. These people are struggling to survive under extremely harsh conditions. At one point, they had to drink seawater because they could not find drinking water. There is no fuel on board that they can use for cooking or heating. At times, they try to cook food over wood fires or cook fish if they can find any. The limited electricity they can generate through solar energy is only enough to charge their phones. The vessel's living quarters are in extremely poor condition and hygiene standards are inadequate. This poses a serious risk to the crew's health. The small amount of corn cargo remaining on board has deteriorated, resulting in the presence of flies. The crew have to wear masks because of these problems in their living quarters. The vessel's presence in Türkiye's territorial waters also poses a risk not only to the crew but to maritime traffic safety. Particularly in stormy weather, there is a risk that an uncontrolled vessel could drift and collide with another ship. The port authority is aware of this risk and continues its efforts to resolve the problem. Although there are crew members on board, they do not have the means to control the vessel or intervene in an emergency. In the event of a potential danger, they would be unable to weigh anchor, move the vessel offshore or take it to a safe location. Our main expectation is that the shipowner and the responsible companies fulfil their obligations, pay the crew's outstanding wages and arrange their repatriation. These people must be able to live in humane conditions and receive the rights they are entitled to."