Cargo Vessel at Centre of $1 Billion Drug Bust Issues Desperate Mayday Call
A cargo vessel involved in a major international drug bust has been escorted into Sydney Harbour after its crew issued a desperate plea for help as supplies ran dangerously low. The MV Raider was intercepted by French authorities in international waters near French Polynesia on January 16, where officers allegedly discovered 4.8 tonnes of cocaine worth more than $1 billion.
French Interception and Unusual Release
French officials threw the massive cocaine haul into the ocean and permitted the 11 crew members to sail free after they stated they had picked up the vessel in Panama for delivery to Australia. This decision has raised questions about the handling of the case and the subsequent plight of the crew.
Emergency Call Off the NSW Coast
On Thursday night, the captain issued a mayday call off Port Kembla after the ship began running perilously low on food, water, and fuel. The dire situation prompted immediate action from local authorities.
NSW Police were dispatched to assist the cargo ship on Friday, successfully escorting it safely to Sydney Harbour. It is now anchored in Snail Bay at Birchgrove, under close observation.
Crew Stranded and Facing Uncertainty
The Honduran and Ecuadorian crew have not been arrested or charged, with all 11 still stranded onboard the vessel and unsure when or how they will be able to return home. The International Transport Workers' Federation has expressed extreme concern for their welfare.
'We've got extreme concerns for them because when we finally got in contact with them they had run out of food,' Ian Bray, the ITF's Australian coordinator, told ABC News. 'They were down to 200 litres of water and there's 11 on board, so roughly 20 litres of water per person.'
The crew aboard the cargo vessel at the centre of the $1 billion cocaine bust were forced to issue the desperate mayday call after running dangerously low on essential supplies. NSW Police escorted the stricken ship into Sydney Harbour, where the 11 Honduran and Ecuadorian crew remain stranded onboard, highlighting urgent humanitarian and logistical challenges.
The ITF has called for the crew to be repatriated urgently, emphasising the need for swift resolution to this complex international incident.
