8 janvier 2023
The seafarers from the Apollo Sun, held in Le Havre since mid-November, have at last been able to leave the ship and return to their homes.
For almost 50 days, ITF and Le Havre Seamen’s Club have battled to assist the crew. This ocean-going tug had been held in Le Havre due, at the start, to a technical incident.
The shipowner very quickly lost interest in his crew.
Teams from Le Havre Seamen’s Club have been visiting the seamen on board. Furthermore, the crew was made welcome several times on the premises of the Association Havraise d’Accueil des Marins.
The Seamen’s Club gave the following assistance to these seamen:
. Visits, with psychological back-up, on board as well as in the Club.
. Provision of warm clothing
. Providing means of telecommunication
. Supplying foodstuffs and fresh produce. This with the help of the Association Havre de Culture
. Financial assistance for their return journey
For its part, ITF used all its means to, among other things, sort out as efficiently as possible any delays in the payment of salaries. ITF then organised administratively and financially the return of the 6 seamen to their countries of origin.
On 3 January, the 4 seamen still remaining on board were able to carry out immigration procedures, guided and accompanied by an employee from the Seamen’s Club. After a meal with the ITF representative, a volunteer from the Seamen’s Club, using the Club’s vehicle and driving through the night, did a return trip from Le Havre to Charles de Gaulle airport so that the seamen could return by air to Indonesia and Panama on 4 January in the morning.
