- Title: GHANA: Seized Argentine tall ship's crew to start leaving Ghana
- Date: 22nd October 2012
- Summary: ACCRA, GHANA (OCTOBER 22, 2012) (REUTERS) ARGENTINE SHIP WITH GHANA FLAG FLYING ARGENTINE CREW STANDING ON BOARD SHIP VARIOUS OF TWO ARGENTINE CREW CARRYING TRAVEL BAGS AND WALKING TOWARDS SHIP CREW ON BOARD ARGENTINE FLAG FLYING VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE CREW STANDING ON BOARD SHIP VARIOUS OF CREW MEMBERS WITH TRAVEL BAGS ON PIER VARIOUS OF GHANA FLAG ON SHIP TWO CREW MEMBERS STANDING WITH TRAVEL BAGS TALKING TO ARGENTINIAN JOURNALIST LOADED CARGO TRUCK DRIVING IN HARBOUR VARIOUS OF CREW PULLING LUGGAGE ON WHEELS TOWARDS SHIP VARIOUS OF ARGENTINE CREW WITH LUGGAGE WALKING UP STEPS ONTO SHIP ARGENTINE CREW MEMBER RUNNING IN HARBOUR AREA MORE OF CREW WITH LUGGAGE WALKING ONTO SHIP SHIP IN HARBOUR
- Embargoed: 6th November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ghana
- Country: Ghana
- Topics: International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA4JED6MTQHAW81S8JUC05NWH2T
- Story Text: Sailors on an Argentine naval training vessel detained in Ghana by creditors will begin leaving the country on Tuesday after spending weeks in dockside limbo, a government official said on Monday (October 22).
The ARA Libertad, a tall sailing ship with a crew of more than 300, has been detained in Ghana's port of Tema since Oct. 2 on a court order obtained by NML Capital Ltd, which claims Argentina owes it $300 million in defaulted bonds.
The ship's crew prepared their bags on Monday as they waited to be repatriated The Argentine sailors went on shore to pick up travel essentials as they waited for the Ghanaian government to complete immigration procedures so they can leave.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on Saturday (October 20) ordered sailors on the detained ship to evacuate - leaving just the captain and a core crew - claiming their human rights were violated because a judge had prohibited fuel deliveries required to run plumbing and emergency equipment.
Ghana said on Sunday the crew were free to depart, and NML's lead lawyer, Ace Ankomah, said it would not stop them from leaving.
The sailors appeared to be in good spirits on Monday as they worked the decks. Some returned from the city with suitcases and packing boxes, a Reuters witness at the port said.
Since the ship's detention three weeks ago, the crew have often been seen jogging, playing soccer and shopping at local markets.
Argentina declared a massive sovereign default a decade ago at the height of an economic crisis and now faces a raft of lawsuits in the U.S. courts by so-called holdout bondholders seeking its asset to recoup the defaulted bonds.
Ghana said it turned down demands by Argentina to release the boat because it wanted to follow the rule of law. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
