Date: 25thOctober 2016

Apostleship of the Sea supports ‘ghost ship’ crew following death

Catholic charity Apostleship of the Sea (AoS) has provided moral and practical support to a group of Ukrainian crew following their colleague’s death.

Last Thursday, a 29 year-old crew member from the bulk carrier Brasschaat fell to his death while working on board his ship, which has been lying at anchor off Tyne port since June after the ship owner filed for bankruptcy.

AoS Tyne port chaplain Paul Atkinson visited the ship on October 22, with St Mary’s Cathedral Newcastle assistant priest Fr Shaun Purdy, to offer support to the crew.

“The crew spoke very little English and didn’t really speak about the death of their colleague. It appeared to be just another day for them,” Paul said.

“However they were grateful for the visit and some of them requested help with buying top-up phone cards and train tickets into town, which AoS provided,” he said, adding that the crew were contented, and were being paid and had sufficient food and provisions.

Paul has supported the crew on previous occasions when the Brasschaat came into port, by providing woolly hats and even a boiler suit for one of the crew.

The ship is very much in the public eye and a lot of people in the local community have been asking Paul about the crew and expressed concern for them.

Paul is also often in touch with the Tyne port pilots to keep an eye on the seafarers.

The Brasschaat is one of three ships anchored off Tyneside belonging to the same owner, the other two being the Vyritsa and Zarechensk.

AoS in Poland also previously supported the crew of the ships when they were in Gdynia in April.

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Further information for Editors

The Apostleship of the Sea, AoS, is a registered charity and agency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of England & Wales and Scotland. It is wholly reliant on voluntary donations and legacies to continue its work.

90% of world trade is transported by ship, and more than 100,000 shipsvisit British ports each year. However the life of a modern seafarer can be dangerous and lonely. They may spend up to a year at a time away from home, separated from their family and loved ones, often working in harsh conditions.

AoS chaplains and ship visitors welcome seafarers to our shores - regardless of their colour, race or creed and provide them with pastoral and practical assistance. They recognise them as brothers with an intrinsic human dignity which can be overlooked in the modern globalised maritime industry.

For more information contact John Green, Director of Development on 020 7901 1931 or 07505653801 or email

facebook.com/AoS.GB

@Apostleshipsea

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Reg. Charity in England & Wales no. 1069833 Reg. Charity in Scotland No. SCO43085 Company Registration no. 3320318