OSV crew abandoned in Dubai highlight their plight

Eight crew stranded onboard the 1992-built OSV Topman have gone public with their plight, claiming their employers abandoned them in Dubai without pay ten months ago.

European shipping database Equasis lists the Panama-flagged Topman as owned by Bhambhani Shipping and managed by Halani Shipping from Mumbai.

The crew claim they now have very limited food and fuel onboard. They have had supplies sent over by the local branch of the Nautical Institute with reports of dramatic weight loss among crewmembers. With fuel scarce, they are now sleeping outside.

The Federal Transport Authority (FTA) of the UAE has given the Indian owner until Thursday to fix the situation or face being banned from UAE waters. The Indian consulate in Dubai is also trying to resolve the matter.