Goa begins collecting data of stranded seafarers

Under pressure for quick repatriation of seafarers stranded overseas, the Goa government on Friday, kickstarted a statewide exercise, to collect details of the Goa's stranded sailors.

Panaji, April 17 Under pressure for quick repatriation of seafarers stranded overseas, the Goa government on Friday, kickstarted a statewide exercise, to collect details of the Goa's stranded sailors.

Kin and friends of sailors have been asked to submit details of the stranded seafarers to the nearest Criminal Investigation Department bureaus of the Goa Police, which after collation, would be sent to the central government, that is in the process of creating a comprehensive list of Indian seafarers stranded in various ports-of-call across the world.

The details sought by the Goa government via a standard performa, includes name of the seafarer and the cruise-ship he or she is working on, location of the vessel, residential address and contact number of the seafarer.

The Goa government has been under pressure from the Opposition as well as families of more than 8,000 seafarers, who are believed to be stranded in various ports the world over, many of them in Miami and parts of Europe.

On Wednesday, nearly a dozen family members of stranded seafarers were detained after they protested outside the Chief Minister's official residence in Panaji.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said he was in touch with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whose ministry's was in the process of formalising a standard operating procedure for the repatriation process.

( With inputs from IANS )