Crew-supplying agency to blame: Sailor Vijayan

The Togo Navy seized the vessel when the captain informed them about the incident.

Sailor Andi Vijayan,who was released by the Togo Navy after being arrested four months ago on charges of abetting pirates,blamed Mumbai-based Accord Marine Management Limited for putting the crew under suspicion. Vijayan,who was released on Thursday with Captain Sunil James,also distanced himself from the ships chief officer P C Ashok,who is still in jail.

Vijayan,who reached his home at Kuthenur in Palakkad,said the Mumbai-based crew supplying agency did not sincerely attempt to release the arrested crew of MT Ocean Centurian. After the ship was taken into custody by the Togo Navy,Accord suspected that we facilitated the pirates to enter the ship, he said. While Vijayan was cleared of charges,investigation is still on against Ashok,a native of Chennai.

Ashok is expected to be released soon. The court which tried us had found little evidence against us. Ashok had joined duty only days before the ship was targeted by the pirates. I do not know much about him, he added.

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Referring to reports that Ashoks brother Arun Chandran led the pirates,Vijayan said there are many stories in the air. As alleged by the Togo Navy,I have no role in supporting the pirates. I cant tell about others, said Vijayan. He said Ashok remained composed and engaged in infusing courage into him and James.

The Togo Navy seized the vessel when the captain informed them about the incident. Of the 28-member crew,only three Sunil James,VIjayan and Ashok were dumped in jail. Others were lodged in a hotel and later released. The Navy alleged that the crew abetted the pirates to enter into the ship. We were told in court every week that investigation was over and the arrested would be released soon. That refrain continued until last week. We lost hope when our staffing firm also lost interest in securing our safe release. A third engineer with the ship,Vijayan has been a sailor since 1988.

Jamess son to be laid to rest today

Mumbai: A day after merchant navy captain Sunil James returned to Mumbai from Togo,his family on Saturday finished preparations to lay his infant son Vivaan to rest. The ceremony will take place at Orlem Church in Malad on Sunday. Eleven-month-old Vivaan died on December 2 of septicemia,but his mother did not want to bury the child till James returned. ENS