Fund launched to help seamen affected by earthquake

Chris Aitken … Mission to Seafarers acts as a link to trace seamen’s relatives and loved ones. KEVIN MAYHEW THE BOXING day tsunami and the recent devastating Pakistan and India earthquake have obvious effects on destination ports for South African shippers and exporters, but they do not always consider how to help the human victims of the devastation – the thousands of seamen from these areas that are concerned about their families and stuck in South African ports. Chairman of the Gauteng Branch of the Mission to Seafarers, Chris Aitken, said at the annual Shippers’ Lunch in Johannesburg recently that it was contributing to a dedicated fund to help seamen from affected Pakistan and Indian areas through its head office in London. “Many of the ships that move the cargoes do so because of the hard work of the men from these regions. Away from home for long stretches it is very difficult for them to make contact at the best of times with rural areas from which many of them come. “With a disaster like we have seen on the Asian sub-continent, many are left unable to even find out if their families are okay and turn to us for help, which we must do but it all costs. It might be an opportunity for the local industry to display appreciation for these efforts,” he said. The London head office sent three chaplains to affected areas when the tsunami struck to help to meet victims’ needs for support and spiritual guidance. Its representatives in different ports supplemented this with assistance and comfort for concerned seamen at its various missions and tried to act as a link for them in efforts to trace relatives and loved ones. Companies wanting to contribute to the Mission to Seafarers, a registered non-profit organisation, can contact Aitken at: 083 602 5331.