News

The 56 year old Galician captain of the "Loitador", who had been detained in Lisbon on Feb 1 upon returning from Cape Verde, has been provisionally released, and the ship left the port again en route to Montevideo. It will be the National Court that decides whether he should be extradited to Argentina on charges of "labour exploitation". The case, was opened by the Caleta Olivia Prosecutor's Office (province of Santa Cruz, Argentina) against the captain after complaint came from the doctor who treated a Senegalese sailor in June 2017, who arrived in a coma after his evacuation and recounted torturous treatment - working 22 hours a day, from Monday to Monday. Argentina has assumed that it has jurisdiction because the trawler made two stops in the Malvinas during the four months in which these alleged abuses against crew members continued. Sources from the legal representation of the shipowner, Profesionales Pesqueros, did not specify details regarding the intervention by police officers. The captain was now with his family, awaiting the holding of a court hearing, which will determine whether or not he should be extradited to Argentina to give a statement there. The hearing will be held at the National Court, under the provisions of article 12 of the Passive Extradition Law. On Nov 13, 2024, the captain's arrest was ordered by the Federal Court of Caleta Olivia, which had issued the red notice through Interpol. The red notice is a request addressed to law enforcement agencies around the world to locate and provisionally detain a person pending extradition or surrender. The arrest was concretized by the Spanish police on Dec 18; the captain gave a statement for three hours and was provisionally released. He is accused of a «crime of human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation», taking advantage of the vulnerable situation of the evacuated sailor, E. Thiam, aged 35 at the time.

On Jan 23, 2025, the 'Lider Haluk' was detained in Chioggia with 14 deficiencies as the result of a port state inspection, seven of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Fire safety - Fire fighting equipment and Appliances Not as required 2) Fire safety - Fire doors/openings in fireresisting division Not as required 3) Fire safety - Fire detection and alarm systems Not as required 4) Fire safety - Means of escape Unsafe 5) Fire safety - Division - decks, bulkheads and penetrations Not as required 6) Safety of navigation - Charts Not updated 7) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Feb 1 and has remained stationary in Chioggia since and as of Feb 4. The inspection, howeverm, led to a refusal of access to Paris-MOU ports for three months. The last detention was on July 5, 2024, also in Chioggia, with 22 deficiencies for 12 days. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

Fearing an earthquake, more and more residents and tourists want to leave the island of Santorini, which is why existing ferry connections are fully booked. The company Blue Star Ferries announced that it supports the local communities with consistency and responsibility. As a result, the "Kissamos" coming from Crete and the ferry "Bluestar Patmos" from Rhodes were diverted on the night of Feb 3, 2025, with an additional stop in Santorini. Video: https://twitter.com/i/status/1886275740888694936

On Jan 19, 2025, the Runner' was detained in Ahus with 34 deficiencies, five of which being regarded as seriously and grounds for a detention: 1) Fire safety - Fire doors openings in fire resisting division Not as required 2) Fire safety - Vnetilation Not as required 3) Radio communications - MF Radio Installation Inoperative 4) Life saving Appliances - Embarkation arrangement survival craft Not properly maintained 5) ISM - Ism certificate Not as required The vessel was released again on Jan 30 and left the port en route to Klintehamn, where it arrived on Feb 3. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063576908591

Fearing an earthquake, more and more residents and tourists want to leave the island of Santorini, which is why existing ferry connections are fully booked. The company Blue Star Ferries announced that it supports the local communities with consistency and responsibility. As a result, the "Kissamos" coming from Crete and the ferry "Bluestar Patmos" from Rhodes were diverted on the night of Feb 3, 2025, with an additional stop in Santorini. Video: https://twitter.com/i/status/1886275740888694936