WHERE are the DALI CREW MEMBERS -- and WHY??
Despite the headline-grabbing nature of this incident, crucial details such as the crew's identities, the ship master's name, and the whereabouts of the harbor pilots are conspicuously absent.
Where is the Dali crew? What are their names? What is the name of the master of the ship? And where are the identities of the harbor pilots, experts who are required to help these vessels navigate in and out of the ports?
Left-leaning NPR ran a story titled "Dali cargo ship crew are still stuck in the Baltimore Harbor. How are they doing?" Reverend Joshua Messick of the Baltimore International Seafarers' Center emerges as an interesting intermediary, claiming contact with the crew via WhatsApp. However, the ease with which he gained access to them while media outlets remain in the dark raises eyebrows.
In the interview, Messick admitted he received minimal information from the crew, but he also mentions the crew’s apparent caution in disclosing details. He stated “I imagine they're trying to be very careful about how much information they provide, what they say and to whom.”
Why? Why the secrecy? Why are they exercising caution? If it was genuinely an accident, one would simply acknowledge it as such.
While Messick mentions his contact with the Dali crew via WhatsApp, there was limited communication particularly prior to the arrival of Wi-Fi hotspots. Despite assurances of the crew's well-being and the ship's functionality, there's a notable absence of detailed damage assessments or evacuation plans, leaving gaps in our understanding.
At the end of the interview Messick is asked when the crew will be able to get off the ship and what happens to those crew members after that?
He replied “A a lot of that depends on when they're able to get the ship free from the bridge and back to its berth. And then the crew's future is relatively uncertain. Hopefully, they'll be able to remain aboard and I'll be able to care for them as long as possible. They may be repatriated or otherwise.”
I also found this BBC article that gives more information about why they are stuck on the ship.
So, when will they be allowed off the ship? Well, apparently, it's going to be a while. The authorities are saying, "Hey, we've got paperwork to do!"
“On Friday, Coast Guard Admiral Shannon Gilreath said that moving the Dali is a secondary priority to re-opening the port of Baltimore and the shipping channel.
Even in normal circumstances, disembarking crews of foreign nationals from ships in US ports requires significant paperwork.
In addition to visas, the mariners need to have valid shore passes that allow them to get off the ship. They also need escorts to take them from the ship to the terminal gate, although that function can be performed by the various non-profits that work with mariners in the area.
It is unclear whether the Dali's crew have the required paperwork to disembark” the BBC reported.
Chirag Bahri, a seasoned Indian seafarer who currently holds the position of International Operations Manager at the UK-based International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network, anticipates that it may take several months for all the mariners to be able to return home. He suggests that junior-ranking members may possibly be repatriated within a few weeks, but senior-ranking individuals may need to stay in the US to complete formal investigations
Is that strange to you? That the crew is basically captive on the ship and being hidden from the media?
As I have asked since the beginning, why is there a discrepancy between the level of information available in this incident compared to other incidents? I mean, when there's a shooting, the media manages to dig up the shooter's name, address, and life story before the police even arrive on scene!
You know, it's kind of funny when you think about it. Here they are, fussing over paperwork for mariners stuck on a ship in Baltimore, making sure they have all their visas and shore passes in order before they can step foot on land. Meanwhile, across the country, people are just waltzing across the border like it's no big deal. Maybe instead of building a wall, we build a moat instead because apparently the maritime industry has its act together better than the USCIS.
Read Next:
They are likely in an hotel in Baltimore, in a degree of control, until investigators release them to return home, but not permitted to talk to anyone but other company employees, their union reps, and those investigators. That's SOP for the NTSB. I KNOW the Navy does it too, so I would imagine the USCG does too, even though they are not military exempt in time of declared war (by Congress).
I feel bad for those seamen who may not see their families for months - how inefficient!