Indian ship stranded for five months at a Chinese port, appeal for release

New Delhi: Jag Anand, a ship of the Indian merchant navy, has been detained by China at the Jingtang port for the last five months. There are 23 Indian sailors on the ship, and as per reports, most of these people are developing health problems. The ship, carrying 170,000 tonnes of coal, reached the Chinese port just two days before the Galwan Valley conflict. However, even after the conflict, the Chinese officials have not issued permission to offload the coal from the ship, and the Indian merchant navy sailors are being subjected to mental torture. An appeal has been made to the Indian government to intervene and secure the release of the sailors.

Jag Anand, the Indian merchant navy ship with 23 sailors onboard, is stuck in the Chinese port, given the increasing tension between India and China. This ship, belonging to the Great Eastern Shipping Limited, reached Jingtang port on 13th of June, carrying 170,000 tonnes of coal, from Australia. The tension between India and China had increased after the Chinese intrusion in Ladakh. Thereafter, on the 15th of June, Chinese soldiers, in the act of betrayal, launched an attack on the Indian soldiers. In the conflict, 20 Indian soldiers and 40 Chinese soldiers were killed. It has been exposed that thereafter, Chinese officials are now issuing permission to the ship Jag Anand, to offload the cargo.

The food, medicine and other essentials are getting over on the Jag Anand ship and the sailors who are stuck in the ship, in the absence of clearance from the Chinese officials, have started developing health issues. Discussions are being continuously held with the Chinese officials. Great Eastern Shipping Limited officials informed that no solution has been found till date. The sailors are complaining that they want to go home, but no one is paying any attention to them. The company and the sailors’ families have appealed to the Indian government to intervene.