NEW DELHI: Indian sailors stuck in China since June last year, due to the global pandemic, are set to return home, said the government on Saturday.
Shipping and Ports Minister, Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed, that the Indian seafarers will reach Chiba Port, Japan on January 14, and after following the due procedure of COVID protocols they will fly back to India.
“I deeply appreciate the humanitarian approach of the Great Eastern Shipping Company towards the seafarers, and standing by them in this crucial time,” said the minister.
“Our Seafarers stuck in China are coming back to India! Ship M. V. Jag Anand, having 23 Indian crews, stuck in China, is set to sail toward Chiba, Japan to carry out crew change, will reach India on 14th January. This could only happen due to strong leadership of PM Narendra Modi,” the Minister earlier tweeted.
Indian bulk cargo vessel, M.V. Jag Anand, has been on anchorage at the Jingtang port in Heibei province of China since June 13, 2020. Another vessel, Anastasia, has been anchoring at Caofeidian port in China since September 20, last year.
The vessels have been stranded due to delayed uptake, cargo on account, or COVID related issues in China. The Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Anurag Srivastava, earlier said, that the India Embassy in China had been in touch with the Chinese authorities in the matter.