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CENTRAL AMERICA |
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Russian
Sailors Stranded In Panama, Unable To Go
Ashore
(RIA Novosti) - Russian sailors, who have
been stranded in Panama since early April,
are unable to come ashore "for financial
reasons," the vessel's captain told RIA
Novosti on Sunday. "A special permit is
required to leave the ship and to visit the
port... which is impossible for us under the
present conditions," Vladimir Verevkin said.
The Panama-flagged Piruit vessel, with 11
Russian seamen onboard, ran aground while
crossing the Panama Canal. The company which
repaired the vessel's front part, damaged in
the accident, seized the ship in the port of
Colon, but released it after payments have
been made.
Both the vessel's owner, registered in the
British Virgin Islands, and the
Vladivostok-based management company
currently refuse to pay $25,000 in
maintenance costs and $110,000 in wage
arrears. The companies also refuse to pay
$50,000 to renew the permit allowing the
vessel to fly the flag of Panama.
Electricity at the ship has been cut off
since August 20.
"For about 20-25 days we have been using
rainwater for cooking. We eat mainly
vegetables; we are unable to store meat as
electricity had been cut off," the captain
said.
A spokesman for the Russian embassy in
Panama has earlier said it was negotiating
with all the parties to the conflict.
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