two months after the accident, the crew is still stuck on board the ship

On March 26, a bridge collapsed in Baltimore, United States, after being hit by a Singaporean container ship. Eight weeks later, 21 men are still held on board, cut off from the world because of the investigation and administrative reasons.

“They simply can’t contact the people they need, or even look at photos of their children before they go to sleep.” Many don’t know it, but the 21 sailors who were on board the Dali, the Singaporean container ship which ran into a bridge in Baltimore on March 26, are still stuck on board almost two months after the disaster.

According to the BBC “the crew, comprising 20 Indians and one Sri Lankan national, were unable to disembark due to visa restrictions, lack of required shore passes and ongoing parallel investigations being conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FBI.” Not only are the sailors trapped in the hull, but they have also been deprived of their cell phones. “Their cell phones were confiscated by the FBI as part of the investigation“, reports the BBC, citing the words of Joshua Messick, executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center, a non-profit organization that works to protect the rights of seafarers.

“They can’t bank online. They can’t pay their bills at home. They don’t have any of their data or anyone’s contact details, so they’re really isolated right now.”

Joshua Messick, executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center

at the BBC

The sailors’ unions took up their case. Dave Heindel, president of the Seafarers International Union, said that “regardless of the duration of the investigation, the rights and well-being of the crew should not be violated”.

Singapore’s seafarers’ unions have also sounded the alarm and called for “Quick return” crew phones because “morale has naturally declined”says the BBC, recalling that “For the moment, the crew has temporary SIM cards and mobile phones without data.” According to the BBC, “dVarious religious representatives, including Hindu priests, provided services and emotional support to those on board. They also received packages including “Indian snacks”.

Darrel Wilson, spokesperson for Synergy Marine, the Dali’s management company based in Singapore, however told the BBC that he was not able to provide a time frame for the disembarkation of the crew, because, beyond the investigation, “no one knows the ship better than them.” Small groups of five sailors may soon be eligible for a shore pass, but “they will probably have to be accompanied for the entire duration of their stay on land.”indicates the BBC.