VietNamNet Bridge – The four crew members who escaped from a fishing vessel of Taiwan - Hsieh Ta - in the waters of France, have returned to Vietnam, reported by the Overseas Labor Management Agency.

Vietnamese sailors treated like slaves on Taiwanese ship

Le Dinh Anh (left), one of the four crew members in Hsieh Ta ship has come home. Photo: Tien Phong

According to an official from the Overseas Labor Management Agency, of the four sailors who denounced of being treated like slaves on the Taiwanese ship, two are employed by the Labor Export, Trade and Tourism JSC (TTLC), one hired by International Manpower Training and Supply Co., Ltd (Nosco) and one by the Gernal Service, Trade and Investment JSC (SERVICO).

The Overseas Labor Management Agency has asked these companies to clarify the case.

According to a report by TTLC, the two sailors began working for Hsieh Ta on December 20, 2012. So far, their families have received four months of salary. On August 12, the four sailors arrived in Vietnam.

In addition to the four sailors, there are seven other Vietnamese sailors on that ship, said the Overseas Labor Management Agency.

The agency is investigating whether the four sailors were tortured or not and the results will be announced this week.

Contradictory information

On Wednesday, Mr. Nguyen Manh Tuong - Director of Servico – said that his company sent three sailors to work on Hsieh Ta. In addition to Tran Van Dung who returned home on August 12, Servico still has two crew members working on this vessel.

Tuong said these sailors went to Taiwan on December 20, 2012 and they were paid until June 2013. Each sailor received $350 a month.

"I confirm that sailors were not beaten. Currently, there are seven Vietnamese sailors on Hsieh Ta. After reading Vietnamese newspapers, the Taiwanese ship owner was shocked and asked the captain of Hsieh Ta to make report about the incident. We have received the report, with the signature of the three Vietnamese crew members working on the ship," said Tuong.

Tuong said it is inaccurate to say that sailors were not allowed to go ashore for two years because Servico’s sailors were on the ship for over eight months.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Phong - Deputy Director of TTLC - said that the two crew members of his company came home in Nghe An province.

He also confirmed that sailors were not beaten. "We will work with the press to clarify this issue," Phong said.

"The Overseas Labor Management Agency will do its best to protect legitimate interests of Vietnamese sailors," said an official of this agency.

Vu Diep