CREWS that have been stranded aboard cruise ships docked at the Port of Tilbury have released a video calling on the UK authorities to 'please help us' after the pressure of spending many weeks cooped up on ship during their lay-up because of the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll.

It was reported yesterday (Thursday, 18 June) that a member of one of the ships' crews had committed suicide, though the ship operators, Purfleet-based Cruise and Maritime Voyages (CMV), have stated that he suffered a heart attack.

There seems to be a huge amount of disquiet among the hundreds of crew members of a number of ships at the port – some of who are said to have gone on hunger strike.

The plight of the 'trapped' crews has prompted intervention by the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency who have visited ships, including the Astoria and Vasco da Gama at Tilbury.

The crewman who died, named as galley cook Krishna Kumar Balaji, had been on the Astoria, but was transferred to the Vasco da Gama prior to the Asrtoria departing for Portugal where it is due to go into dry dock.

Cruise & Maritime Voyages have confirmed that their vessels, which also include the Marco Polo, Magellan and Columbus, currently laid over in the UK in London Tilbury, and also at Bristol Avonmouth, have been inspected by the Maritime and Coast Guard Agency.

A statement from the company says they recognise the difficulties of the current situation which have been exacerbated by customs regulations. CMV says it has repatriated a significant number of members of staff but has not been able to do as much as it might have liked because of international travel restrictions.

The statement says: "CMV have been cruising from British ports since commencing operations 10 years ago without any detentions and is cooperating fully with the MCA's inspection and will endeavour to ensure that any crew concerns are addressed.

"The health, safety and welfare of all their passengers and crew is CMV's top priority. CMV, as have many other cruise lines, has faced an unprecedented emerging humanitarian issue as many crew members became stranded on cruise ships as borders closed as a result of the global outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"CMV has worked hard to repatriate as many crew members as possible and has been unable to repatriate all crew members due to the travel restrictions."

CMV chief executive Christian Verhounig, added: "The vast majority of our European crew have already been repatriated, we have flown home a large number of International crew on specially chartered flights.

"CMV has been in high level talks with the Indian and other international governments to help facilitate and expediate our crew's safe return back home to their families and today have repatriated by air charter most of our Myanmarese crew, with another plane leaving this Sunday.

Crews and anxious and distressed"

"Other charters are in place to India which is awaiting final landing approval, and also to Indonesia, and flights are being finalised to other countries around the world.

"Customs restrictions are preventing our hardworking crew on board from receiving cigarettes and alcohol. Our crew have endured a prolonged period quarantined on board our ships during lockdown and are understandably anxious and distressed as a result.

We fully sympathise with and understand our crew's frustration and upset at being held under quarantine conditions onboard our ships due to the local restrictions imposed."

The human toll of the situation has been added to by speculation at CMV is in financial trouble.

It has been suggested that CMV, which employs 4,000 people, is racing to secure funding to keep itself afloat after operations were halted by the pandemic.

Sources said on Wednesday that CMV was attempting to finalise new financing before the end of the week. They added that Novalpina Capital, a private equity firm, had been trying to structure a deal for several weeks with CMV's existing creditors.

The talks are said to have been abandoned this week when Barclays decided not to offer a £25m state-backed loan under the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Meanwhile, the immediate focus is on the stranded crews, who have taken to social media to promote their plight. Apart from the video there have been many posts from crew telling of their situation and asking for help.

The death of Mr Balaji, prompted fresh concerns about the mental health of many of the people on board – many of whom say they have not been paid and they are worried about their families at home.

CMV issued a statement following the death, which said a crew member had died in the early hours of Wednesday, June 17. It added: "A crew member on board the Vasco da Gama at London Tilbury passed away following a heart attack. CMV's thoughts and prayers are with the crew member's family at this sad time."

In May there was considerable speculation about the cause of a fall from a ship at the port by a crew member.