UK washes hands of Indian sailors

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 31

The UK has washed its hands of the fate of Indian sailors detained at one of its protectorates after British marines seized an Iranian tanker at Gibraltar on suspicion that it was headed for Syria. Cases have been filed against four Indians, including the ship’s Captain. The entire crew has been held at Gibraltar for nearly a month.

“It is not for us to release the Indian crew on Grace 1. The Gibraltar authorities have their judicial process which they have to go through,” UK High Commissioner Dominic Asquith said today.

According to sources, only four of the 24 Indians may have an extended, enforced stay in Gibraltar. These four, all officers, were formally arrested and charged with violating European Union’s sanctions against Syria as the ship was suspected of carrying oil to the war-torn nation. Asquith expressed surprise that the ship’s Captain was unaware that his ship was headed for Syria.