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Oleksandr Iani (left) and Oleksandr Shestenbiuk on board the New Imperial Star. Photo: Edmond So

Sea of troubles: crew of casino ship detained in Hong Kong waters relive their 10 months of anguish

It started out as a golden opportunity to make some money, but the three Ukrainian seamen quickly found themselves in a ‘floating prison’ without money

The three men all aspired to work at sea in order to earn big salaries to support families grappling with poverty in Ukraine.

So they jumped at the chance of jobs in Hong Kong aboard the New Imperial Star, a casino cruise ship, making US$2,000 a month – 10 times the average salary at home.

Little did they know they were embarking on a nightmare journey in which they would be stuck in limbo on a ship that became their prison after it was detained by the Hong Kong authorities.

The three Ukrainians – third officer Oleksandr Iani, 33, and electricians Oleksandr Shestenbiuk, 22, and Sergii Dmytriiev, 24 – were stranded in Hong Kong waters with 43 other crew for months on end without being paid by the ship’s owner, Arising International Holdings.

Conditions were squalid – poor ventilation, no medical care, and an unstable supply of power, food and water. Rising tensions among crew racked by worries about money and their future only made things worse, culminating in an alleged brawl between the captain and two Chinese workers.

“Almost every day there is a war over everything, from a plate of rice to even a cigarette,” one crew member said. “Because they don’t have money, people are nervous when they don’t know anything about tomorrow.”

The New Imperial Star has been detained in Hong Kong waters since November 5. Photo: Sam Tsang
The vessel has been detained off Kai Tak Cruise Terminal since November 5 after failing Port State Control inspection by local marine officers charged with ensuring foreign ships comply with international maritime conventions.

A source familiar with the case said the owner ran into financial difficulties as the casino cruise business nosedived. “Most of the cruise passengers were from the mainland, but now he has trouble getting enough gamblers and big spenders,” the source said.

Arising International bought the vessel, registered in the Republic of Palau, for more than HK$100 million in 2012 and later rented it out at a monthly fee of HK$2 million. In good times, daily turnover could be as high as HK$10 million with more than 400 passengers aboard, but last year this had dwindled to just a few dozen.

Iani, Shestebniuk and Sergii Dmytriiev, in Tsim Sha Tsui, were relieved their ordeal was over. Photo: Edward Wong
Iani finally managed to return home to Odessa on June 16 with two other Ukrainians after intervention by the International Transport Workers Federation, which assisted with their wage claims against the owner.

Twenty-six crew members from China and Myanmar had already been repatriated ahead of them, while Shestenbiuk and Dmytriiev were finally allowed to go home on June 23 with another member, leaving behind 14 Ukrainians to maintain the ship’s basic operations. They were all given advance payment loaned by various parties subject to a cap of US$4,000.

Crew members also received a little “pocket money” after the Mariners’ Club in Hong Kong, a welfare organisation for seafarers, stepped in to help.

Having worked for 10 months they were only paid three months’ wages. But Shestenbiuk and Dmytriiev were just thrilled to be returning with some money as they badly suffered from homesickness and stress that was beyond their tolerance.

“We are glad that we can go home, and with some money we can do something at home,” Shestenbiuk said in an interview with the Post.

They all had financial burdens to deal with. Iani needed to pay for the health care of his ailing father – paralysed and confined to his bed – while Shestenbiuk hoped to put his younger sister through college. For Dmytriiey, there was a live-in partner and stepson to support.

“We all feel that we have the responsibility to support our families when they need help. We feel so bad that we are unable to help,” Iani said.

Without pay, who will be willing to work for free? The crew started to suffer some kind of mental problems
Oleksandr Shestenbiuk

Iani was under the additional pressure of suffering serious neck and back pain since February without access to medical care and all the time worrying about whether his girlfriend at home would abandon him.

For Dmyriiey, his plan to marry his partner had to be put on hold, while for Shestenbiuk, just being separated from his family for more than six months was agony.

“The situation on board is very depressing,” Shestenbiuk said. “The crew have to live under constant stress and pressure of continuing to perform duties on board. But without pay, who will be willing to work for free? The crew started to suffer some kind of mental problems.”

Iani added: “That was why the crew became very frustrated and depressed, fighting over almost everything. Every day we feared being left with nothing.”

Ukrainian shipmaster Valeriy Lyzhyn at the helm. Photo: Edmond So
And it was not just a question of money. Iani said he had lost 10 months of his life that could have spent elsewhere meaningfully.

For Shestenbiuk, used to spending six months at a time at sea, returning home, then setting out for another voyage, the Hong Kong nightmare had proved the final straw.

“I am tired with life on board. My mind is tired with all the stress. It’s too much for me. I cannot stand working away from my family for such a long time.”

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