The recent death of 22-year-old engineer cadet Dayra Wood on board a Panamanian-flag product carrier does not only sadden me. The ITF Panama inspector’s report, which was quoted in the ITF press statement of 10th September, it fills me with anguish and rage.
For more than two weeks, the ship nonchalantly sailed through Panama and thence to Mexico whilst the young woman’s body was stored inside the ship’s refrigerator. She was like frozen lamb in a supermarket before her remains were brought ashore for proper burial in Panama. Have seafarers been totally commodified?
The ITF is rightfully indignant. Why wasn’t Ms Wood’s family told straightaway about her death? Why was the ship allowed by the Panamanian and Mexican authorities to sail for 17 days with her body on board?
Some other questions arise that will probably never be answered. Did the master and the ship’s owners handle this outrageous affair the way they did because Ms Wood was a cadet and not a regular crew member? Was it because she was a woman? The saddest part is that Ms Wood is likely to become just another statistic, to be completely forgotten after the ruckus has died down.
I have no illusions that the world will stop regarding seafarers tomorrow as commodities to be acquired and marketed like other goods. It’s happening every day in Manila: cadets serving as unpaid labour in manning offices and maritime unions; ship officers standing under the heat of the noonday sun because very few crewing agencies bother to have officers’ lounges; and seafarers preyed upon by government clerks, lawyers, doctors, and a host of other characters.
This is no way to treat seafarers — living or dead. It’s obscene.
This is really ridiculous… the press should be digging more into this…. any news from the world’s reputable Maritime Dailies? Surely this is worthy news to investigate…. Hello there…….. anyone listening?
What a tragedy. The captain and ship owner should be held accountable. Safety should be number one. Cadets are our future, treat them with respect. Use cadets to help promote a safety culture in the shipping industry. Cadets should not be treated as cheap labour, but as our future.
Treat cadets with respect. In Manila most young cadets are forced to join vessel as mess man or ordinary seaman. No company wants them on board as cadet. Only few are lucky to be able to come on board as cadets due to the help of their officer relatives. Shortage of officers is to be blamed on those companies who refuse to hire cadets. Most cadets have to work in office in Manila like slaves for almost two years without salary and food allowance just to able to join vessel. Please, will anybody have mercy on this young people?
Thanks to you, Barista Uno, I heard about this outrageous situation. Thank you.
It is incredible that any sane person would allow the treatment of another being this way, never mind a fellow sailor, or employee.
I am very sad. Indeed, yet another signal of a genuine apathy towards sailors – cadets in particular.
I have made a blog entry about it as well, since, like many have observed, no one seems to be noticing this tragedy. Kinda of scary really, to think of the entities involved have so little regards for us at sea.
Martin – Thanks to you as well for writing about the Dayra Wood tragedy in your own blog. It amazes me that the case did not get more attention in the international maritime press. Perhaps it’s a sign of the times?
I am not surprised – sadly. Seems to be if there is no “App” for that, then its worth consideration. Not trendy enough to be news, and just explores the bottomless pit of greed and disrespect, that certainly does not fit the message we are supposed to be fed. Plus we can’t be scaring the young people from the mystique of seafaring, otherwise the pay might end up reflecting the hardships of the actual work.