Community rallies to stricken seamen

READER response has been phenomenal to the plight of 15 Ukranian crew members abandoned in Richards Bay after the vessel MV Iskandar was arrested in a $33.5-million legal action.

The Zululand Observer publicised their predicament last week and the hearts of the local community opened wide to the seamen, who have been unpaid since November and are unable to afford repatriation costs.

Richards Bay Combined Seafarers Club Chaplain, Mark Classen has been at the forefront of relief efforts for the crew, who were low on food and on morale, with a possible further three-month impoundment at the outer anchorage before they set foot on their homeland again.

Classen and the ship’s crew have been overwhelmed by the response.

Having appealed for food, toiletries and airtime, the immediate reaction exceeded his wildest expectations.

Heading the heart-warming response was Spar owner Harry Giannacopoulos, who donated R10 000 worth of groceries and toiletries.

‘On behalf of The Mission to Seafarers Richards Bay, and the crew of MV Iskandar, we want to say thank you to the Zululand Observer, as well as to the Richards Bay community for the generous response in respect of donations towards the crew of this arrested vessel,’ said Seafarers Chaplain, Mark Classen.

‘You have all made a wonderful difference in the lives of our seafarer friends, and have contributed generously to the Kingdom.

‘We also received a substantial donation from an individual who would like to remain anonymous, quoting Mt. 6:3.

‘This person said we can use it for our Chapel fund, which is primarily used to purchase Bibles and Christian material, and for extreme welfare cases such as arrested or abandoned vessels and crew.

‘Representatives of the Richards Bay Harbour Personnel Angling Club came to our centre with a generous bunch of parcels filled with groceries and toiletries and some snacks.

‘I am still getting calls from prospective donors. God is good!’