The 95-metre superyacht Indian Empress has been impounded in Malta due to debts owed by its owner to the crew. It is reported that the crew were underpaid a total of more than $1m in wages.
A case has been filed against him for violating the financial security provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention. This is the first such case in the superyacht industry.
The crew's rights are being represented in court by the maritime workers' union Nautilus International. Charles Boyle, director of legal services at Nautilus International, comments:
«The superyacht sector is perceived as something glamorous, but the sad reality is that very often superyacht crews can be severely exploited and humiliated. This is why Nautilus is increasingly finding itself involved in litigation such as this».
Thanks to the provisions of the convention, representatives of the crew of Indian Empress were able to obtain a payment of $615,000 from Skuld, a Norwegian insurance company specialising in financial protection and indemnity insurance. The Indian Empress will be held in Malta under maritime lien requirements until the remaining wage arrears are paid.
Indian Empress was built at Oceanco Shipyard in 2000. The yacht underwent a global refit in 2016.
She can accommodate up to 12 guests and 30 crew members on board. In the main salon of Indian Empress, which until 2017 was actively used both by the owner himself and on charter, you can see Elton John's piano, on which the musician wrote the album Songs from the West Coast.
