A few weeks ago I visited a ship that's been anchored in Table Bay with my Swift II FPV.
After reading up on the crew's plight, I thought it might lift their spirits if I fly out to them and drop a few care packages (peanuts & raisins / crisps & a message encouragement) with my Skywalker & APM. I invited some friends to the occasion and Glen was kind enough to document it. Hopefully it helps to show the overwhelmingly positive potential of drones.
update: Another drop on the E Whale:
Comments
No matter how the law breaks down this crew is being held hostage by the current ship owners, the government and creditors.
And even though they have written laws that allow them to do it, they also have common sense and at least the possibility of common decency.
And that should give them pause and the impetus to seek a solution for the abused crews of these ships.
All of the actual people behind this do not begin to suffer as much or as unjustly as this crew who by all accounts are completely uninvolved in these events.
I guess a boat from SA will have to go through the proper customs channels etc, which I've not done. I always find myself border line legal with this hobby... sigh.
Good effort and a fun video.
Is there some reason that nobody can deliver some larger supplies, by boat?
Maybe you could send them some magazines. ;)
Ah OK; thanks for clearing that up. That's an awful situation to be in and they really should give them some shore time. Good luck with the next drop.
I believe they are free to resign from their employer and will be free to go home one the next crew rotation, but they risk losing out on back pay which they desperately need for their families.
So, it's not the government forcing the crew, it's simply the company who can not afford abandoning the ship until it's sold to settle the debts.
My father in law used to have a stevedore business and he has seen many a company fold because of a large container ship not settling it's bill before leaving, so I understand completely the other side of the coin.
@Josh: As I understand, it's a skeleton crew and do not have the luxury of leaving. Most, if not all of them do not have visas.
Jasja I read the article but it didn't go into details as to why the crew was actually stuck on the ship, or why they couldn't get shore leave. Is it the case that they can't quit tomorrow and get a lift to the nearest airport to fly home? Who is keeping them on the ship?
Forcing a crew completely uninvolved in the dealings of the ships owners to remain and operate the ship under these conditions is completely without justification.
The crew has done nothing wrong or illegal and yet they are being made to operate unpaid in squalor in conditions that do not even exist in the prisons of the countries where they are detained.
This is government sanctioned and enforced slavery.
This isn't law or justice, it is insanity.
Thanks Morli, I intend do do another drop next, week weather prediction is bleak - I need very still air as you can imagine.
Josh, I think the first drop might have missed - it's difficult to judge as I banked before the downward camera could capture the landing area. The other two have landed safely as far as I could see.
The ship is in arrest in the bay as the owner company has not settled their bill with the harbour on previous services to it's sister ship. The cew needs to stay on board for 4 months at a time in difficult conditions. Boredom and isolation taking it's toll.
The other 2 boats are also in arrest in various bays. The one is in Egypt, according to one article, and the crew is really in bad shape - rotten food and little water. If any Egyptian Diydroners are reading this... you can really make a difference..
Click the link Josh, and you can read about the situation of the crew.
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