Spain Detains Turkish-Owned Cargo Ship Over Crew Abandonment And $68,000 In Unpaid Wages

A Turkish-owned general cargo ship has been detained in Spain after the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) reported alleged crew abandonment, unpaid wages, and suspected fraudulent crew protection documents.

The vessel, Lady Mina, is being held at the Port of Las Palmas in Spain’s Canary Islands after the ITF referred the case to the Spanish Maritime Authority (Capitanía Marítima).

The federation said six seafarers remain on board and are owed a total of USD 68,000 in unpaid wages.

The case began on 23 May 2026, when one of the crew members contacted the ITF office in Las Palmas seeking help to return home after his employment contract had expired.

According to the ITF, he had worked on board for more than 13 months, exceeding the 11-month maximum service period allowed under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, despite repeatedly asking to be repatriated.

ITF Inspector for the Canary Islands, Gonzalo Galan, carried out an inspection of the vessel and found several problems related to both the ship’s condition and the crew’s living and working conditions.

The ITF said two seafarers had been on board since April 2025, while the Chief Engineer had served since October 2024 and had not been paid since January 2026.

“When I boarded the Lady Mina, it was immediately clear this crew had been left to fend for themselves,” Galan said.

“The Chief Engineer had gone six months without a single payment, yet he kept the vessel running because he had no other choice. This is not an oversight by the owner – this is abandonment.”

After confirming the crew had been abandoned, the ITF informed the Spanish Maritime Authority, which detained the vessel.

The federation said inspectors found that Lady Mina was operating without the required statutory certificates. It also alleged that documents related to the financial security required under the MLC to protect seafarers in cases of abandonment appeared to be fraudulent.

Following several days of discussions with the shipowner, two crew members were repatriated and received all their outstanding wages. Fresh food and drinking water were also supplied to the vessel.

However, the ITF said the remaining crew members whose contracts had expired have still not been repatriated. It also said the shipowner has not repaired the vessel and continues to withhold wages, with the total unpaid amount now reaching USD 68,000.

Last week, the ITF informed the Port Welfare Committee of Las Palmas about the situation. Volunteers from Stella Maris later delivered additional food supplies to the crew.

The ITF said it is now providing legal assistance to begin the process of arresting the vessel.

According to the federation, this is not the first time the same shipowner has abandoned the crew on Lady Mina.

The vessel was added to the ILO/IMO Joint Database on Abandonment of Seafarers in December 2024 after the owner allegedly failed to pay the crew for five months and abandoned them in Djen Djen, Algeria.

The ITF also noted that the 3,400-deadweight-tonne vessel, built in 1989, was cited for 18 deficiencies during a Port State Control inspection in Ghana in February 2026.

The deficiencies included structural condition, fire safety, radio equipment, and the crew’s living and working conditions.

The federation said records list the vessel under different flags, with some identifying St. Kitts and Nevis and others Tanzania, while the ship is managed by Turkish interests.

“Cases like the Lady Mina are becoming depressingly too familiar in our ports,” ITF Maritime Coordinator Jacqueline Smith said.

She said no seafarer should be left stranded or rely on humanitarian assistance because a shipowner fails to meet its legal obligations. Smith added that the ITF would continue working to recover the crew’s unpaid wages and ensure they are repatriated.

Reference: itfseafarers