WEB DESK
The plight of 23 crew members of Indian ship Jag Anand is far from over as Chinese government today reiterated its unwillingness to allow a crew change citing epidemic control requirements at ports. The ship laden with huge consignment of Australian coal is stuck at China’s Jingtang port since June as China is not allowing the ship to unload the cargo from Australia with which it is locked in a political tussle.
In response to a question on whether China would allow the change of the crew of ‘Jag Anand’ on humanitarian grounds, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian did not give any clear reply, instead he cited the epidemic prevention measures. He also did not reply to a question whether crew change can be allowed after quarantine.
The Indian Embassy in Beijing is in regular communication with the local Chinese authorities to find a way out for Jag Anand as well as 16 Indian crew members of another ship MV Anastasia which is stuck in a similar situation at China’s Caofeidian port.
Media reports said Jag Anand along with 21 other ships with over 400 crew members carrying over USD 200 million Australian coal have been held up at Chinese ports due to the current political tussle between China and Australia in which the crew members are suffering as collateral damage.