"Great start of the day! Our stranded seafarers of MV Anastasia are coming back to India! The crew will sign off from Japan today and will reach India on 14th Feb. And soon will be reunited with their families! Appreciate the efforts of Indian Embassy in China and Team MSC," Mandaviya tweeted
Bengaluru: Amidst ongoing tension along the border, there is good news for India that 16 Indian sailors stranded in China are about to return home soon.
The Indian sailors who are stranded on a cargo ship in Chinese waters for nearly four months will sign off in Japan on Wednesday and reach the country by February 14, Union Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said.
"Great start of the day! Our stranded seafarers of MV Anastasia are coming back to India! The crew will sign off from Japan today and will reach India on 14th Feb. And soon will be reunited with their families! Appreciate the efforts of Indian Embassy in China and Team MSC," Mandaviya tweeted.
Mandaviya said the cargo vessel MV Anastasia is scheduled to begin its journey from Japan today and will reach India on 14 February. The MV Anastasia vessel has been stationed at Caofidian port since 20 September.
Thirty-nine Indian crew members were stranded on two cargo ships in Chinese waters out of whom 23 on board MV Jag Anand returned to India last month.
Last month, India sought "urgent, practical and time-bound" assistance to 39 Indian sailors stranded on the two ships considering the "grave" humanitarian situation developing on board the vessels.
Citing coronavirus-related restrictions, China had not allowed the ships to either dock or go for a crew change for months.
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