Newport stranded ship's crew to return home after three months

The crew of the Sunflower E have been in Newport since March 10

The crew of an Italian cargo ship stranded at Newport docks for more than three months can now return home.

The Sunflower E has been stuck since 10 March, after legal claims worth £5m were made against the ship in the UK courts.

Eleven Indonesian nationals, one Filipino and a Romanian are on board.

The crew can now go home after liquidators agreed to pursue an £82,000 unpaid wages claim on their behalf.

The International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) said the crew had been left without running water or a fridge while awaiting a decision.

ITF inspector Darren Procter said: "Obviously, the crew want to get home, to return to their families and they want the money they have worked for."

Two of the crew members who have been at Newport docks for three months

He added: "Obviously, their families have got no money, there are school fees to be paid and there have been personal tragedies, which have happened while they have been on board the vessel."

The ship was held in Newport by the UK Admiralty Marshal after claims were lodged against it in the UK Admiralty and Commercial Court.

Legal block

An order for the ship's sale - made to pay mortgage and utility bill debts against it - was made in the UK court on 8 April.

The ITF confirmed on Tuesday a legal block it had sought against the ship's sale was lifted, after it secured a deal with Italian liquidators to pursue the crew's claim for unpaid wages.

The union said it was now "assisting the crew home", with their departure expected on Wednesday.