The ship’s Ukrainian captain will still face charges of illegal bunkering
Almost nine months after the crew of the Seaman Guard Ohio were arrested in India, the weapons charges against them have been dropped.
The 35-man crew had been in detained in India since October after being arrested on suspicion of weapons trafficking.
The Mission to Seafarers has been supporting the crew since their arrest through arranging prison visiting, supporting the crew’s families and also by holding a press conference to raise awareness of the crew’s plight.
The crew were bailed in April, under conditions that they remained in India for the duration of their hearings.The ship’s Ukrainian captain will still face charges of illegal bunkering.
The Mission’s director of justice and public affairs, Ken Peters, said: “The Mission to Seafarers welcomes the announcement that the weapons charges against the 35-man crew of the Seaman Guard Ohio have been dropped. Since their imprisonment in October, we have worked with the arrested seafarers, their families and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office to ensure that the crew received the care and support they needed through prison visiting, public awareness campaigns and family liaison work.
“Following the judgement, we hope that the crew will be reunited with their families in the next week to ten days, and we will continue to provide any support or advice necessary.“
Source:The Mission to Seafarers