Monday, October 22, 2012

Libertad crew evacuated, to land in BA on Wednesday

Foreign Ministry officials confirmed that most of the crew of the frigate Libertad were being evacuated and will soon leave Ghana to arrive in Argentina on Wednesday. Only a small group of officials is to remain on the impounded ship for maintenance work.

44 people, along with the ship’s captain, will remain on the ship “to guarantee its caretaking during its illegal seizing.”

“All foreigners who were taking part in the instruction trip will also be evacuated in the same operation,” the ministry said in a written statement.

The sailors will land in Buenos Aires on 8 pm this Wednesday in an Air France flight specially hired to bring the crew back to the country.

The decision to evacuate was made “in response to a court ruling by a Ghanaian court, which not only violated international law, but also risked the safety of the crew by denying them the necessary provisions for a docked ship.”

The statement added that “all expenses that result from the illegal detention of the Libertad will be included in the lawsuit that Argentina will file before international organizations.

According to sources, the Ghanaian judge who ordered the impounding also decided to ban the ship from refueling, assuring it would only revert his decision if Argentina engaged in negotiations with the vulture funds, a move that is rejected by the local Government.