Kenyan Seafarer From Illegal Taiwanese Vessel Dies in Tanzania Prison

Reports reaching Kenya on Wednesday indicate that one of the 3 Kenyan crew of FV TAWARIQ-4 has died under mysterious circumstances in a Tanzanian prison.

The Taiwanese fishing vessel was arrested on 8th much 2009 for fishing illegally in the Tanzania waters.

The crew of the vessel is composed of 15 Chinese, 5 Vietnamese, 2 Taiwanese, 8 Filipino, 5 Indonesian and 3 Kenyan seafarers.
Since this ship was arrested, all the crew is held in Tanzania prisons.

Andrew Mwangura, East Africa head of the Seafarers Assistance Programme (SAP) visited them in June last year and together with ECOTERRA Intl. appealed for the release of the crew, while the master and vessel are held until the case has been decided before a court of law.

The Dar-es-salaam port chaplain has also visited the crew, provided some material support and also took to them some medications, since the prison situation is not all that good.

The seamen feel that that non of their embassies is following their case and they did not know when they will be out from the prison.

At present they need clothing and the missions to seafarers is preparing to buy some for them this week.

"On my own behalf and on behalf of the relatives of the deceased Kenyan seaman we are asking for Kenyan and Tanzanian government’s assistance in bringing back the remaining of the deceased sailor.We do also ask for investigation on the cause of death, said Andrew Mwangura in Mombasa today.

At preset it seems the seamen, who are holed up in 2 separate prisons, are powerless victims of a juridical confusion and their families are very concerned about their situation in prison and for them to be returned home.

While the crew has appeared in front of a judge at the Tanzania Court already three times, still no judgement was made and there is no serious lawyer pushing the case. Though the Tanzanian lawyer allegedly has been paid to represent the crew he is not following up the case.

The East African Seafarers Programme and ECOTERRA Intl. therefore have appealed again to the governments of Tanzania and Taiwan to locate the owner of this vessel and hold him as well as the master of the fish-poaching vessel responsible, while the crew of poor seafarers is set free immediately to avert further death in prison.

The simple crew members have committed no crime; the crime was committed by the Taiwanese fishing company.

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