Suez Canal: 25 Indian crew onboard Ever Given in 'good health'

Suez, Mar 31: In a recent development, the German company which manages the Ever Given cargo ship has said that Indian crew onboard the mega ship, which ran aground in Suez Canal and now successfully refloated, are in "good health".

In a statement, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) extended its deepest gratitude to all parties involved in the emergency response who worked tirelessly to free the vessel.

In a statement, the company said, "A crew of 25 Indian nationals remain aboard the vessel. They are safe, in good health, and have been working closely with all parties involved to re-float the vessel. Their hard work and tireless professionalism are greatly appreciated."

"BSM extends its deepest gratitude to all parties involved in the emergency response, including the Suez Canal Authority, SMIT Salvage and the crew on board, who worked tirelessly to free the vessel and to restore navigability in the Suez Canal," the statement further said.

Presently, the experts are probing the reason for the incident. When blame gets assigned, it will likely lead to years of litigation to recoup the costs of repairing the ship, fixing the canal and reimbursing those who saw their cargo shipments disrupted.

Since the vessel is owned by a Japanese firm, operated by a Taiwanese shipper, flagged in Panama and now stuck in Egypt, matters quickly gained international attention.

The Ever Given had crashed into a bank of a single-lane stretch of the canal about 6 kilometers north of the southern entrance, near the city of Suez, on March 23. That forced some ships to take the long, alternate route around the Cape of Good Hope at Africa's southern tip - a 5,000-kilometer detour that costs ships hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel and other costs.