The master of the Japanese bulk carrier at the centre of a pollution crisis off Mauritius admitted he diverted the ship in search of a mobile connection to help crew call home.
Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported that the Indian master of the 203,000-dwt Wakashio (built 2007) and his crew were concerned about the spread of the disease and wanted to speak to family to get an update.
The ship’s crew wanted a mobile internet connection to use a Sri Lankan SIM card to phone home using the WhatsApp messaging service.
The report contradicts earlier allegations that the diversion took place to secure better internet connection to entertain crew during a birthday celebration.
Kyodo said it got the information in a phone call to the Mauritius “judicial authorities” without clearly identifying the source.
As earlier reported by TradeWinds the ship’s master, along with the chief officer, have been arrested by the Mauritius police for unsafe navigation of the Wakashio.
The vessel's owner, Japan's Nagashiki Shipping, said the master had voluntarily extended his contract to work on the ship. Two other crew member’s had worked beyond their contracted period of employment due to travel problems caused by the pandemic.
There are already concerns that the master maybe made into a scapegoat for the accident, which could turn out to be another case of the criminalisation of seafarers.
International Transport Workers' Federation Seafarers’ Section head David Heindel said: “Like the rest of the global community we are worried for the marine environment of Mauritius, and its fragile ecosystem, currently under threat by advancing oil. But anger for this tragedy is better directed at the factors which lead to such incidents, rather than the people who happen to be in the hotseat at the time the accident occurs.”
Others have suggested that the Mauritius government may have to prove wilful negligence by the ship’s crew in order to secure compensation above the shipowner’s limitation of liability set in international law.
The vessel’s owner is not commenting on the cause of the accident but has said it will fully cooperate into the investigation into why the vessel grounded on 25 July.
