VLADIVOSTOK, October 14 (RIA Novosti) - Six Russian seamen from a vessel stranded near the port of Dubai have ended a hunger strike, which they began on October 2 over wage arrears, an International Transport Workers' Federation official said.
The Magdalena, owned by a German company and flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, has been anchored 16 miles off UAE coast near Dubai since early August due to an engine breakdown. It was officially impounded on October 12.
"It is hard to say when the sailors will receive the repayment of wage arrears," Pyotr Osichansky said, adding that the sailors decided to end the hunger strike after the vessel was impounded.
The vessel's owner reportedly owes the crew $230,000 in wage arrears. Onboard are nine Russians, two Ukrainians, four citizens of the Philippines, and one Estonian. Six of the sailors went on a hunger strike in demand of back pay.
The crew earlier asked for international aid as they were running out of food and water.
This is not the first incident involving Russian sailors abroad. Last September, Chinese authorities impounded the Vasily Yan cargo ship and the Professor Voskresensky vessel over debts of the ships' Russian owner, the Arctic Shipping Company.
In addition, around 60 Russian sailors on six fishing vessels were "abandoned" in Vietnam by Russian ship owners. The sailors have not been paid their wages for several months.
