MAERSK ETIENNE incident highlights African migrant crisis
The Danish shipping giant Maersk a month ago extended a helping hand to Maltese authorities responded to requests in helping a nearby boat that was under distress. The MAERSK ETIENNE upon arrival saw an overcrowded wooden fishing boat, carrying 27 African migrants including a pregnant woman and a child.
The Maltese government after requesting that the tanker rescues the migrants, did not allow the ship to come ashore. The tanker waited for a green light from authorities in Malta to dock the ship at the port of Valletta and help the migrants reach Malta safely but, the ship is still waiting, as the situation is getting out of control in the Mediterranean.
Time is running out fast for those on board Maersk ETIENNE, and this is because tankers are mostly designed to accommodate just a handful of crew members and supplies on board, which usually last for a month due to it being designated only for the crew.
Food supplies onboard the tanker are running out at an unprecedented rate, and so is the patience of those onboard.
Source: FleetMon
Author: Bernice Noi Tetteh
