DEATH ALWAYS CARRIES DESPAIR AND TRAUMA ALONG WITH IT, THE SEAMANS FAMILY WAS LEFT IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND DEPRESSION WHEN THEY WERE INFORMED ABOUT HIS DEATH TO ADD TO THE STRESSFUL SITUATION THE BODY OF THE DECEASED FAILED TO ARRIVE AT THE SCHEDULED FLIGHT ON FRIDAY.
Naville’s family had all the arrangements done for his funeral that was to take place on Saturday evening but the delay in arrival of the body made the ritual to be postponed. Naville’s wife Malvika was devastated to learn that her husband’s body, that was supposed to have left Mexico on Thursday and arrive into Goa the next day after changing four planes, was still in Mexico. She said she was being harassed.
Taking up on the issue the Goa NRI Commission on late Friday night sent an email to the Indian Embassy in Mexico which in turn explained there was a technical snag due to which the plane couldn’t take off from Mexico. The sources informed that the embassy has promised to ensure the body is sent on the next available flight, OSD to the NRI commissioner U D Kamat.
President of the Goan Seamen Association of India, Dixon Vaz, said the cruise company’s approach was unacceptable and advised the government to act against it for its lack of professionalism. “This is a sensitive issue and the company should have acted sensitively,” he said, threatening to approach the International Human Rights Commission over the issue.
His remains were to travel from Mexico to the UK via the US, and then Goa via Oman. His family was provided with a copy of the airway bill so that they could claim his body at Goa International Airport along with the flight details.
He worked as a waiter on the board of Royal Caribbean International cruise ship with 13 years of experience as a seafarer, Naville had only two more weeks to go for his job contract to end before he could return home.
He had, however, previously informed his wife that he was stressed at work and later she learned that he had suffered a heart attack on board, the ship that was on the second day of a seven-day cruise from Galveston, Texas, to Cozumel, Mexico, a popular Caribbean port.
Naville’s wife informed the sources that she learned about the passing of her husband from his colleagues instead of the company. The company has stated it will not provide any compensation to the family.
The life of seafarer is filled with trauma and sufferings and, there are no provisions made by our government to solve their problems, to keep a watch on their work condition and living standards. The Goa government needs to take some steps to implement a system to keep a watch on their employment and living standards. What is your opinion? please leave your valuable comment
SOURCE: TOI
