Stranded cruise vessel crew being helped by the Aruba Red Cross

The Aruba Red Cross (ARC) has been assisting the crew of a ship abandoned by its owners.

 Volunteers of the ARC, overseas branch of the Netherlands Red Cross, boarded cruise vessel Polynesia to assist the crew, one of whom is a female. The crew comrpises 20 from Guyana, six from Jamaica, and three each from Grenada and St. Vincent.

The ARC has provided drinking water and meals. At the Red Cross facilities, crew members have the opportunity to take a shower, wash clothes and make some phone calls to relatives back home.

The Polynesia is one of a fleet of four. The crews of the other three are also stranded in Panama, Costa Rica and Trinidad.

The vessels’ owners, said to be Windjammer Barefoot Cruise, effectively abandoned the vessels and crews without pay for more than three months. No money has been sent for the crew to purchase food, water and fuel for the vessel's generators.
 
To further assist the crew, the ARC has started a drive to collect funds to purchase one-way tickets back home for crew members. Donations can be sent to the ARC’s account 14.15.629 at the Aruba Bank.

Airline companies have also been approached to help with tickets or reduce the price of tickets.