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The two seafarers will return to India in the next few days after being detained in South Korea for more than 18 months since their tanker Hebei Spirit was hit by a drifting crane barge on December 7, 2007.
However their criminal conviction for allegedly not doing enough to prevent 10,500 tonnes of oil leaking from the holed single hull tanker still stands.
A spokesman for V.Ships, which managed the very large crude carrier and has taken care of the two seafarers, expressed disappointment the conviction was not overturned and said it could affect their future seafaring career.
The decision by South Korea’s High Court this morning confirms a Supreme Court appeal judgement on April 23. The Supreme Court cleared Capt Chawla and Mr Chetan of destruction of property, for which they both received jail sentences and served nearly two months in jail. Under South Korea’s justice system the Supreme Court decision still had to be approved by the appellate court.
National Union of Seafarers of India general secretary Abdulgani Serang confirmed the men would return to India after being detained in South Korea for 540 days.
The detention, conviction and jailing of the men caused international outrage among industry groups and seafarer unions and led to an international campaign that put pressure on South Korea to free the men. Seafarer groups in India also launched a boycott of South Korea and in particular Samsung products.
Samsung was targetted because it owned the crane barge which hit the anchored tanker.
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