Homecoming: Morning Glory crew to return in few days

Families anxiously await the arrival of their loved ones.

KARACHI:

The Pakistani crew of the Morning Glory oil tanker is expected to return home within the next two or three days as five members were released by the Libyan government Tuesday night. The remaining sailors would also be set free very soon.

The six Pakistanis were being kept in a detention centre in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, since their arrival in that country. Five of them – including captain Mirza Noman Baig, second officer Mehdi Shamsi, third officer Asif Hassan, and crew members Naik Zada and Muhammad Arshad – were handed over to the Pakistani ambassador, while the remaining chief officer Ghufran Marghoob would be released in a couple of hours as he is assisting the Libyan authorities in offloading the vessel.

Social activist Ansar Burney, who met with the Sindh governor on Wednesday to discuss their arrival, said the entire 21-member crew, which also includes six Indians, three Sri Lankans, two Sudanese, two Syrians and two Eritreans, have been released by the Libyan government and are being handed over to their respective government representatives.

“The crew have a new life and it’s a miracle that they are safe and sound. The arrangements for their return are complete as we are going to bring them back all together in the next two to three days,” Burney told The Express Tribune.

The Morning Glory oil tanker owned by Dubai-based Saud Shipping had set off to Tunisia on February 25 but its owners told the crew to move towards Libya. At a Libyan port, the vessel and the crew were taken over by Libyan rebels, who stole national oil worth $20 million and loaded it on Morning Glory in a bid to sell it.

Taking the crew hostage, the armed Libyans forced them to move the ship out of the country’s territory and sail towards Cyprus. The Libyan government appealed to the US government to take action against the rebels and the US Navy Seals conducted a raid, took the rebels into their custody, and brought the crew and the vessel back to Libya.

Here in Karachi, Ghufran’s older brother Hassan told The Express Tribune that his brother would be handed over to the Pakistan Embassy in a couple of hours. “My brothers along with two Sudanese crew members have been called to help in the offloading. There is nothing to worry about and he would be released soon.”

Currently, the released men are in the possession of the Pakistan Embassy but their location has not been disclosed because of security concerns.

Speaking from Lahore, Captain Noman’s jubilant wife, Qurratul Ain, said she had spoken to her husband who was doing well. “I went into a recluse. But yesterday, when I got the news that they were free, I finally stepped out of the house after a month.”

Second officer’s father Shuaul Qamar Shamsi said he was very happy to know that his son had been released. “The past few days had been very tough and depressing as there were news reports of the rebels wanting the crew and vessel back. But I am happy now that it is over. However, I will be truly happy and at peace after I see my son in person.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2014.