About 160 Indian crew stranded for the past 3 months onboard the CMV-owned ship Astoria have gone on hunger strike on Monday, June 15. The crew staged a peaceful protest on pool deck (Calypso) asking the government of India and state officials to help them return back home to their families.
The seafarers also request to be immediately given approval for repatriation chartered flights. They say they have been treated well by the shipowner CMV-Cruise & Maritime Voyages during the COVID crisis but are frustrated by their government's lack of assistance.
While fellow crew members have already returned home, Indians are among the last stranded onboard many cruise ships around the globe.
Last week another protest was staged by 650 Indian crew stranded on Marella Explorer. Days after the protest they were repatriated on a charter flight to India.
The CMV liner is currently docked at Port Tilbury-London (England UK). For more CMV Astoria accidents and incidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.