Marine court issues arrest warrants for 19 sailors who fled abroad

A Bangladeshi marine court has issued warrants for arresting 19 sailors who fled ships docked at foreign ports over the past three years.

The Department of Shipping (DoS) announced the warrants in a statement on Saturday.

Of the absconding sailors, five hail from Noakhali, five from Chattogram, two from Feni, and seven from other districts. 

The fugitives had escaped from 13 vessels, including three Bangladeshi-flagged and 10 foreign flagged ones, according to the DoS.

A maximum of four sailors fled Bangladeshi-flagged Meghna Adventure by jumping into the Mississippi River on Nov 27, 2023, while en route to New Orleans Port in the United States from Russia, it noted.

Authorities urged the public to report any information about the fugitives to the nearest police station or the Department of Shipping.