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Stranded near Victoria, Korean ship’s crew expects to go home this week

The captain and crew of a South Korean cargo ship stranded off the Gulf Islands for months spent the weekend getting haircuts and hosting a farewell pig roast in preparation for the voyage that will take them home this week.
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The Hanjin Vienna has been anchored at Constance Bank, a few kilometres off the Dallas Road waterfront.

The captain and crew of a South Korean cargo ship stranded off the Gulf Islands for months spent the weekend getting haircuts and hosting a farewell pig roast in preparation for the voyage that will take them home this week.

“The captain said they will be leaving sometime this week,” said Lyn Cooper, one of several Pender Island residents who have befriended the crew of the vessel.

The 255-metre cargo ship and its 16-member crew have been stuck off the B.C. coast since early September, when Hanjin Shipping went bankrupt and operations around the world were left in limbo with unpaid bills.

Cooper said the captain of the Hanjin Scarlet told her in an email that the ship had been sold and the crew would be sent home. Six are Korean and the rest are Filipino.

The sale of the ship and its departure are not yet confirmed.

Another ship, Hanjin Vienna, has also been stranded and anchored off Constance Bank near Victoria since September.

The 279-metre ship is owned by a German shipping company, but was operated by Hanjin. The 22-member crew and vessel were held in limbo while financial details were being sorted out. The fate of that ship and crew is also not known at this time.

Both crews are being paid and provided for, including with Internet access to speak to family.

spetrescu@timescolonist.comm