Bhubaneswar, Oct 9: The Orissa High Court has directed the Centre and other concerned authorities to disembark the crew of the foreign oil tanker MT Unity, stranded off Paradip since May, and facilitate their repatriation to their respective countries, preferably within three weeks.

Justice R K Pattanaik issued the direction on October 6 while hearing a writ petition filed by the vessel’s master, Russian national Istyagin Evgeny Nikolaevich.

The court observed that the seafarers had been abandoned by the shipowner under the Merchant Shipping Act, citing alleged failures to pay wages, provide essential supplies and arrange crew changes or repatriation. It directed the authorities to arrange for the crew’s safe disembarkation and return home, along with the deployment of a replacement crew. Expenses incurred may be recovered from the shipowner or other parties found liable.

The Cameroon-flagged tanker has been anchored off Paradip Port since May 11 and remains under arrest in three admiralty suits before the High Court over commercial claims against its owner. The vessel had arrived to discharge Russian crude oil.

The master and 22 other seafarers have remained aboard. According to the Russian Consulate General in Kolkata, the crew includes 20 Russian nationals, two Egyptians and one Kazakhstani national.

In his petition, the master alleged that wages had remained unpaid since May and that food, drinking water and other essential supplies were running low. He also invoked the right to live with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Subsequently, the vessel’s insurer supplied provisions and cleared the outstanding wage arrears.

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