Pakistani Crew Stranded at Sea Without Food or Fuel
Pakistani Crew Stranded on Ship Without Food or Fuel Amid International Dispute
ISLAMABAD – A Pakistani cargo vessel has been stranded at a Mozambican port for nearly nine months, with the situation deteriorating rapidly as the crew runs out of food, water, and fuel.
The ship, captained by Pakistani national Muhammad Aslam, reportedly has no remaining food or water, and its refrigerators have gone empty. The fuel reserves are nearly exhausted, raising serious concerns for the safety of the 12-member crew, which includes three Pakistanis and nine Indonesians.
The crisis has drawn the attention of Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, who has issued urgent instructions to assist the stranded Pakistanis.
According to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Director General of Ports and Shipping is in constant contact with Captain Aslam. The vessel’s crew has not received salaries for several months, and their living conditions have worsened due to a lack of basic supplies.
Speaking to Captain Muhammad Aslam said that the limited provisions provided at the port lasted only four days. “Now even the water and food have completely run out, and the fuel will be gone any time,” he warned. Communication has been hampered due to the absence of a Pakistani embassy in Mozambique, adding to the difficulties.
The root cause of the crisis is a financial dispute between the Italian owners of the ship and the Mozambican port authorities. Although the ship offloaded its cargo, the goods remain in court custody, and related payments are still pending. As a result, the vessel has been left in limbo without legal or logistical support.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is actively engaged and working in coordination with maritime authorities and Mozambican officials to ensure the crew’s safety and facilitate their return.
PIA Launches Evacuation Flights for Pakistanis in Iran
In a separate operation, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) began a special flight operation on June 17 to repatriate Pakistanis stranded in Iran due to the closure of Iranian airspace amid rising regional tensions.
With assistance from the Pakistani embassy, 150 nationals were transported from Mashhad to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. From there, they are being flown back to Pakistan through special PIA flights. The airline has announced more emergency flights in the coming days following government directives.
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