Death on Board: Port Louis, Mauritius
 Pastoral
care for the crew of a fishing vessel after violence and
death onboard
When the Taiwanese fishing vessel Jiu Ying came into Port
Louis in Mauritius, local officials conducted a routine
inspection. They found two dead bodies in the freezer
storage area. The names of the two men, of Indonesian and
Chinese origin, did not appear on the official crew lists.
This suggests that they were working illegally onboard.
Other Indonesian members of the crew also had serious
injuries. Four men, including the captain, were detained by
Mauritian police.
Sixteen Indonesian crew members came to the Stella Maris
Centre in Port Mauritius for help. AOS chaplain Fr
Jacques-Henri David and his pastoral team received them. The
Stella Maris centre, which was inaugurated in 2005, provided
accommodation, food and washing facilities to the distressed
crew while arrangements were made for repatriation.
A volunteer from the AOS pastoral team worked with the
ship's agent in Mauritius to ensure that the crew received
food and medical attention. Contact was made with the
Indonesian Embassy in Kenya to ensure that the seafarers'
rights were respected. These include payment in full,
repatriation, medical treatment, insurance for the deceased
and compensation for the traumatised crew.
Fr Jacques-Henri met police representatives to discuss
the fate of the Jiu Ying. They reported that the ship had a
new captain and could leave port. The accused men were due
to appear in court. Three Indonesian crew members had to
stay in Mauritius as witnesses. Fr Jacques-Henri confirmed
that the ship's agent had given a signed statement agreeing
to pay the cost of food and lodging.
In time of tragedy, when there are many legal and
practical considerations, AOS continues to offer pastoral
care: attention to the individual that is personal, human
and kind.
Photograph: The crew of the Jiu Ying with a
representative of the Indonesian Embassy at the Stella Maris
Seafarers' Centre |