Around 12 Vietnamese sailors, including the captain, have reportedly been abandoned by the owners of the ship MV Viet Tin 01 in Malaysian waters. The crew, facing dire living conditions, displayed a distress message on the vessel’s hull that read “Help Us,” which garnered attention after being shared extensively on social media, notably by the National Union of Seafarers Peninsular Malaysia (NUSPM).
Currently anchored in Teluk Rumania, Johor, the crew is enduring severe hardships: they have run out of fuel and are experiencing a blackout on the ship, rendering the situation increasingly precarious. The NUSPM has communicated with the crew, who expressed an urgent desire to return home, as they have been deprived of several months’ worth of wages from their Vietnamese employer.
In response to the situation, Malaysian authorities, in cooperation with the Vietnamese embassy, are taking steps to assist. The embassy has been informed and acknowledged the situation, indicating that measures are underway to provide help. On June 23, NUSPM and local agencies supplied the stranded sailors with essential food provisions, including rice, to alleviate their immediate hunger.
This incident isn’t the first controversy surrounding the MV Viet Tin 01. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has previously detained the ship’s Chief Engineer and imposed a significant fine for illegal anchoring in a restricted area. Additionally, the vessel raised suspicions by being sighted in North Korean waters last year, which further complicates its legal and operational issues.
In summary, the plight of the Vietnamese crew aboard MV Viet Tin 01 highlights ongoing challenges within the maritime industry, particularly regarding the treatment of seafarers and the responsibilities of ship owners. The collaborative efforts between Malaysian authorities and the Vietnamese embassy underscore a response to this alarming situation, but the crew’s urgent need for repatriation and fair compensation remains a pressing concern.
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