Seafarers on a hunger strike in Kuwait for more than a month face a hard struggle to win repatriation — but the majority are insisting on staying and fighting for their rights...

Some of the crew members — now owed between 11 and 14 months of wages — have given up and left. But even walking away from their claims was a struggle.

“In September, six crew members were repatriated, who had asked to leave without their wages for family reasons, but it took big efforts to repatriate them,” Arrachedi said. “In this very moment, the second officer is seeking his disembarkment and repatriaiton without wages, and we do not know why this is not being done.”...

Some crew members have been on board the vessel for up to 28 months, according to statements by crew supplied to TradeWinds.

"We want to inform you that today is our 34th day of hunger strike and we will continue until we receive our pending salaries in our bank accounts," crew members wrote on 9 February...

In a separate statement, crew members said they are in a "frustrating condition" and feeling mentally depressed.