Captain and 2 crew members arrested after fighting over can of coffee on ship detained in Hong Kong waters

A Ukrainian shipmaster and two Chinese crew members were arrested yesterday after allegedly fighting over a can of coffee on board a casino cruise ship being detained in Hong Kong.

All 46 members of the New Imperial Star’s unlucky crew – of whom 20 are from Ukraine, 18 are Myanmese and eight are mainland Chinese – have been stuck on board for the past six months after the ship failed safety inspections.

Unsurprisingly, tensions have been running high. An anonymous source told the SCMP that the crew are becoming “impatient and edgy” having faced half a year of unpaid wages and an unstable food supply.

The crew member also said that people fight over something as little as a cigarette.

A source close to the ship’s owner, Arising International Holdings Limited, allegedly said that they may consider suspending Ukrainian captain Valeriy Lyzhyn from his duties and finding a replacement ASAP, pending police investigations.

Thankfully, there is a silver lining. Most of the crew members have been granted legal aid to take the owner to court for the unpaid wages. A lawyer will be assigned in a fortnight, but the process could take over half a year.

The owner is on the hunt for investors, fearing that the ship might be auctioned off by the city’s marine court otherwise.

Yesterday, Captain Lyzhyn, 63, who has been aboard the vessel since August, was arrested for assault along with a 19-year-old Chinese kitchen helper and a 24-year-old stewardess, after the ship’s owner sent a fresh supply of food, including six cans of coffee, to the crew.

Normally, four cans of coffee are provided for the Ukrainian crew, and one can each for the Myanmar and Chinese staff. No explanation has been given as to why the Ukrainians need more caffeine.

The anonymous source said the crew members “somehow” got into a tiff over a can of coffee.

Police confirmed Lyzhyn and the kitchen helper sustained injuries to the head and face, respectively.

Both were treated at Eastern Hospital. They are being detained for police inquiries.

The ship, registered in the Republic of Palau, has been detained in local waters one mile off Kai Tak Cruise Terminal since November.

The ship owner was accused of failing to pay the crew’s wages – ranging from HKD10,084 to HKD50,421 per month – for six months, totalling an estimated HKD3 million in back pay.
 


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