New Delhi, Jan 9 (UNI) Twenty-three sailors who have been stranded in Chinese waters near port due to Coronavirus-induced restrictions, will be returning to India on January 14.
Taking to twitter, Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandavia on Saturday announced that these seafarers are all set to sail towards Chiba in Japan to carry out crew change.
He also informed that the crew members will reach India on January 14 and said the return of those seafarers has been possible under the strong leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Citing coronavirus-related restrictions, Chinese authorities have not allowed the ship, MV Jag Anand to either dock or go for a crew change for months.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava on Friday said that Indian Ambassador in Beijing has taken up with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister the issue of 39 Indian sailors stranded on two cargo ships in Chinese waters and requested early approval for crew change for Indian crew members aboard the two vessels.
Apart from MV Jag Anand, the another vessel MV Anastasia with 16 Indian nationals as its crew, has been on anchorage near Caofeidian port in China since September 20, waiting for discharge of its cargo.
