ZAGREB, June 7 (Hina) - A merchant ship, "Benty", and all seven Croatian crew are sailing towards the Canary Islands, having sailed out of the Liberian capital of Monrovia Friday night, a family member of one of the seamen reported
Saturday.
ZAGREB, June 7 (Hina) - A merchant ship, "Benty", and all seven
Croatian crew are sailing towards the Canary Islands, having sailed
out of the Liberian capital of Monrovia Friday night, a family
member of one of the seamen reported Saturday. #L#
"The ship literally fled from the port last night and is sailing
towards Las Palmas, which it is expected to reach in nine days,"
Benty Captain Josip Alborghetti's son, Igor, told Hina.
"All crew members are alive and well, although lacking food," Igor
Alborghetti said. He is communicating with his father via e-mail.
The captain decided to risk and leave the port without a permit at
the moment when rebels began occupying Monrovia suburbs, he said.
The Croatian foreign ministry confirmed the ship and crew were in
safe open waters.
Ministry spokeswoman Natalija Bukovec said the ministry had used
all diplomatic means Friday to have the Benty sail into a safe port
via the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, the only embassy in the Liberian
capital.
On May 18, the Benty was hijacked in front of Harper harbour by
Liberian soldiers, who then boarded on it 1,000 refugees and forced
the crew to transport them to the safer Monrovia where the ship
sailed in two days later. The coast guard kept the crew as hostages
and forbade them to leave.
(hina) lml