Crewmen of US ship MV Seaman Ohio being taken to jail on Friday
One of the 35 men found on board an American ship with a huge cache of illegal arms and ammunition tried to commit suicide in jail in Tutucorin in Tamil Nadu on Saturday.
The chief engineer of the MV Seaman Ohio, which entered Indian waters illegally earlier this month, was described by the authorities of the Pallayamkottai Central Jail as "restless and stressed." He allegedly tried to hang himself with his own clothes.
"The language problem and the condition of our jail is a major problem for the crew," said an official. All crew members are being counseled, the authorities said, and are housed together in prison.
The crew includes eight Indians, besides British, Estonian and Ukranian nationals, but no Americans. Today, officials of the British Deputy High Commission met the crew members, who are currently under judicial custody.
The two-member official team from Chennai met the Britons at Palayamkottai prison this morning after the External Affairs Ministry granted their request for access, a British Deputy High Commission spokesperson said.
Three officials from the US Consulate General visited the prison earlier to meet the crew. Prison sources said the officials enquired about the health and other details of the crew.
The crew were arrested on Friday, six days after their ship was intercepted by the Coast Guard and escorted to the Tuticorin port. More than 30 automatic rifles, 3000 rounds of ammunition and 1500 litres of diesel were found on board, all without any clearances.
The ship is owned by US company AdvanFort that provides protection from pirates. The owners have denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the ship was in international waters and had bought diesel after informing the authorities.