Click to play videoNew Delhi: Two Indian sailors have returned home after spending nearly two years in captivity in faraway South Korea.
Sailors Jaspreet Singh and Shyam Chetan were put into a South Korean jail after a crane barge collided with their merchant vessel ‘Hebei Spirit’ leading to an oil spill. December 7, 2007 was a turning point for both sailors shell shocked by the events after the collision while their vessel was anchored in the Daesan port in South Korea.
The collision caused 10,800 tonnes of crude oil that was on board the Hebei Spirit to spill into the sea... leading to one of the worst ecological disasters in the region. The spill measured 33 km in length, 10 km in width and was four inches thick.
They were granted bail by the South Korean Supreme court.
“It was a nightmare. I'm glad it's over,” said Jaspreet Singh on return.
Shyam Chetan said, "I'm just glad to be back and I want to spend time with my family."
The South Korean had authorities charged Chawla and Chetan, both senior officers of the Hebei Spirit with criminal negligence and polluting the shoreline.
After 18 months in captivity as under-trials, they were finally absolved of the negligence charge and granted bail by the South Korean Supreme court.
V/O-2: Their release came after months of lobbying by various international maritime organisations who claimed that the charges were unfair.
General Secretary of the National Union of Seaferes of India, Abdulgani Serang said, “What happened was totally unfair, they were victimized. How could they have been tried when their vvessel was anchored and another vessel came and hit their’s? This is like being hit in a parking and being blamed for it.”
The wife of Shyam Chetan, Pritha said, “I just hope that they are given a clean chit and the pollution charges are dropped."
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