$1m emergency relief fund for Indian mariners

Leading mariners’ welfare charities and the shipping industry have responded to the plight of Indian seafarers and their families with a target to raise $1m as an emergency relief fund.

The Seafarers International Relief Fund was established by the Seafarers’ Charity and is supported by The Mission to Seafarers, ISWAN, Sailors’ Society, and others.

Catherine Spencer, Chief Executive of the Seafarers’ Charity, said:

“We are all shocked by the scenes from India, where an already critical situation is getting more desperate with every passing hour.

“India is facing a crisis on the frontline of its fight against the pandemic and this is directly affecting seafarers and their families who have already suffered tremendously over the past 15 months.

“By joining forces to form the Seafarers International Relief Fund, our aim is to send a clear message about the urgency of the crisis faced by seafarers globally; pooling our resources to ensure that support can be delivered as quickly as possible.”