MT RUBY EXPRESS ARABIAN SEA
PANAMA 16 February 2007
“THE IRANIAN NAVY ENCOUNTER”
At 1600 LT MT RUBY EXPRESS had anchored and finished her engine offshore, outside the territorial waters of Iran in the vicinity of Hormuz Strait, ready to take her bunker as instructed. By the time the bunker ship made fast, we saw two Iranian navy patrol boat coming towards us and they were flashing light signals. At 1720 LT bunker hose has been connected while the C/E was in the bunker ship to check and confirm the sounding. The order from the bridge was to standby and wait for master’s order. Approximately 30 minutes later, the two Navy patrol boat was so near, one was at stand still while the other proceeded to aft part of Ruby Express and encircled the ship. We saw flashing lights (presume to be from their camera). Then suddenly we hear over the radio that these Iranian Navy personnel were to board Ruby Express and to the bunker ship. They choose the bunker ship first as it has very easy accessed to board. By the time they were on board the crew meet them were kicked and pushed and headed amid ship at gun point at their back and all crew were mustered at amid ship except the Master.
REACTIONS!!!
CHIEF OFFICER
Thanks GOD we’ve survived this horrible experienced! A lot of shouting, pushing and shoving suffered from these men in uniform, worst, there were even some kicking and gun pointing in the head. I feel sorry for myself and the rest of the officers and crew especially for those who were being hit. When it was our turn to be boarded I, being the Chief Officer and SSO together with boatswain and 2 deck watches met these guys on the gangway to assist their boarding. Unfortunately, our group was the first one to taste the rudeness of these bastards! Upon boarding, they shouted on us and instructed to go in one place with guns cocked and aimed to us! The ordinary seaman on watch was so scared and shocked, so he was not able to follow their orders quickly that led to the kicking incident.
To cut the story short, we were treated like criminals. All crew were summoned on deck near port gangway, ordered to sit down on a cold deck in two lines facing forward, hands on the head and bowed. We stayed there for more than an hour with two Navy continuously guarding, guns aimed to us. From what I observed with there eyes and actuations, these men were so obsessed with their belief and they’ve got no compassion in killing someone just for their cause.
ARNULFO G. COLLADO
Chief Officer
SECOND OFFICER
As a Second Mate on board M/T Ruby Express, and during our stay when vessel anchored, Strait of Hormuz International waters dated 14 February 2007 for bunker, an Iranian Navy came on board to inspect the vessel and when they came on board they ordered us to come out on main deck by extremely pushing, extremely shouting and pointing out a gun that I could not believed that they are not doing in a diplomatic way. They treat us like a criminal.
With this statement, I hope I can voice out what I had felt and I hope in the future I will forget with that bad/traumatic experience.
ROY CANILANZA
2nd Officer
3rd OFFICER
At 2020 L.T. as duty officer of the watch, Iranian navy board the vessel. I was in a little bit shocked because they running on deck heading to accommodation. Then a few minute pass crew are running on deck followed by the Iranian navy aiming and pointing their gun to the crew, those crew who is running slow because of the slippery deck they give some kick.
Behind all of these, I thank God because there is no bad thing happen on that time.
NONITO H. GRULLA JR
3RD Officer
3rd ENGINEER
I 3EO Joel J. Almazan was one of the apprehended crew by the Iranian Navy, who comes aboard our vessel with high powered guns.
This Iranian navy who comes aboard threated us like a prisoner and or a terrorist. I was in the engine control room with the other engine personnel when two Iranian Navy comes and pointing there guns and shouting towards us and we didn’t understand what they are saying. They pushed us and shouting with there guns pointing towards us while going upstairs. We come out to accommodation with all the engine personnel they still shouting on us to move faster and I saw some deck crew who was sitting amidships with some Iranian Navy pointing their guns towards their back. So, I think that we all in great dangers. I joined my fellow shipmates sitting on deck which is the weather is a little bit cold. I just sit there and close my eyes and pray that this problem maybe solve sooner.
I am hoping that this kind of problem will not happen again in the near future…
JOEL J. ALMAZAN
3rd Engineer
ELECTRICIAN
As we witness the abusive and cruel treatment of the crew everybody were scared. It comes to my mind the same treatment will be use to us when it will be our turn to be boarded, true to my belief it happened to us. As engine crew were all at engine room three navy fully armed and guns ready to fire comes to engine room commanding everybody to go up screaming and pushing every crew they come across at gun point in our back, they brought us at amid ship were deck crew mustered. So, the whole complement of Ruby Express sitting down at amidship hopeless but hopeful.
So, this is it, scared but not demoralized s stayed calm and vigilant and still hoping for the best but prepare for the worst case scenario. At this juncture, I have recited the verses of PSALM 23 to ease my tense to gain strength and courage. And to my astonishment after almost an hour of negotiations of our very own Master Capt. Milenko Pahor the hostility of the un-wanted visitor who created this un-solicited engagement had ceased and set us free. Thank you Lord.
My point of view to avoid the same incident to happen again, a proper coordination between concerned party including the supposed host government authority – must be observe.
AGUSTIN E. DACERA
Electrician
BOATSWAIN
‘God help me” this is the word that came out to my mouth when the group of Iranian Navy come onboard our vessel and they treat all us like criminals. They were pointing all the times there heavy firearms on us while seated on deck.
I feel so very nervous because I thought that was the end of my life and I’m thinking of my family that time. I can’t forget this traumatic situation because this is the first time it happened to my life. I’m thinking about it the whole night and how about my family if something bad happened to me. .
Thanks God you did not let something bad happened to anybody especially to me.
NICHOL GOOPIO
Boatswain
DECK CADET
At 14 February 2007, Chief officer call all crew standby for Iranian navy boarding, we are standby in crew reception Iranian arrived, they are immediately shouting and pointing us a gun, shouting us to go to main deck, I’m so scared, thinking twice what I’m going to do because they are pushing my back the gun pointing my head while we are running up to main deck, when we are on the main deck near Port Gangway they would like us to set down in a wet and cold steel deck its too long we all felt very cold and shaking because of cold nature and the guns pointing towards us.
Until now I can’t forget this very traumatic experience, I thought that is my last time to stay in this world alive because of this suffering done of the saddest Iranian navy.
HECTOR DEL OESTE JR.
Deck cadet
PUMPMAN
On the day of the of the heart, valentines Day, we are celebrating on that very peaceful Day, but suddenly heartless Iranian navy came on board ruin every thing on that special day. The treated us like animals. Pointing guns towards us, shouted on us pushed us away thinking that could be our last day, valentines day, their barbaric act is truly unacceptable.
DINDO G. GUZMAN
Pumpman
A/B 2
It happened on my watch that the Iranian navy came on board and they are shouting and told us to set on one place treating toward. A moment later I saw the Iranian navy kicking one of the crew, pointing their gun with us cock and ready to fire. That happened I was frightened, shaking and getting nervous and I thought it was the end of my life. I think this my first bad experience in my life that I never forget. The Iranian navy are unpolite.
CALIXTO ARABE
A/B 3
During our stay in Hormuz Strait, outside the territorial limit of Iran for bunkering, it so happened that the Iranian navy come onboard for inspections. I was in the day room that time when they came onboard. Then they came inside cocking their guns, ordering us to move outside and pushing us extremely, shouting and pointing their guns on us until we reached the main deck. They let us sit on a cold deck for an hour watching us by their guns. I was so scared and shocked at that time and I have so many thoughts in my mind wondering what will happen and what they will do to us? They treat us like criminals instead of doing in a diplomatic way.
Hoping that this traumatic experienced would not happened again.
TIRSO B. RURAC
O/S 1
Good day I’m O/S Carisma, Eramil C. crew of Ruby express, we are in the international waters near Iran territory, we are about to commence ship to ship bunkering on that time we see Iranian navy ship circling around us and we don’t know why, we are not in their territory but in few minute they to go on board and inspect our ship, Me, Bosun, AB and Chief mate are on deck at that time. I am duty at that time I lower the Port Gangway immediately and see that they are carrying heavy fire arms and ready to shot on anybody. They started to shout at loud on us, we were scared and confused on that time then we walk slowly going to the accommodation but 1 guy shout on me pointing with M14 into my face and shout, he pushed me hard and then kick me on my leg, it’s very painful I cannot even walk, it’s so painful but I try to walk because he might pull the trigger on my head and some of crew member are very scared too, one of crew member was push to the door by Iranian soldier by their gun, very tragic its happen to us, they threat us like an animal pushing, kicking shouting on us and like criminal while we were not doing anything wrong. It’s a terrible experience we thought it’s our end. All of us sent outside seating on deck some of crew member are in casual attire it’s very cold outside they confiscate remove our hat facing facing forward we remain setting for one hour on deck, our captain try to communicate because he worry they might kill us on that situation. They can kill us all in one pull of the trigger, then after they completed their agenda, they left, wow after shouting, pushing us, pointing their gun, KICKING ME and endangering our life, what kind of human being they are, Thinks God we are still alive but it will remain in our mind that they abuse our rights.
ERAMIL CARISMA
O/S 2
When we are in the international water territory near Iran, our ship conducted ship to ship for bunkering when I saw two Iranian navy ships approaching our vessel turning around our ship then a few minutes passed I went to my cabin. I was wondering Cadet call me in the telephone and he said, come to reception immediately, I quickly went down and when I opened the door a high power fire arms pointing on me, they shout move out 2x, I am really scared because I don’t know why they are pushing my neck using their guns going outside and I put my hands on my head look likes surrendered criminal, then they continuous shouting to move. We formed one lane going to main deck and seating on deck forming two lines, they are threat like a criminal, they even pushed some crew, others were kicked, shouting etc. Even were already seating on deck they are still pointing their fire arms.
Of all the crew except the captain because he stayed in the bridge to communicate to their leaders. It’s the terrible experience I thought it’s our end and I’m really concerned with my family. How come if we die here? I feel so nervous and I’ve got some phobia. After the completed their agenda thy left us and return to their vessel.
KIRBY ALMEDILLA
FITTER
I was one of the apprehended crew by the Iranian Navy, who comes aboard our vessel with high powered guns.
This Iranian navy who comes aboard threat us like a prisoner and or a terrorist. I was in the engine control room with the other engine personnel when two Iranian Navy comes and pointing there guns and shouting towards us and we didn’t understand what they are saying. They pushed us and shouting with there guns pointing towards us while going upstairs. We come out to accommodation with all the engine personnel they still shouting on us to move faster and I saw some deck crew who was sitting amidships with some Iranian Navy pointing their guns towards their back. So, I think that we all in great dangers. I joined my fellow shipmates sitting on deck which is the weather is a little bit cold. I just sit there and close my eyes and pray that this problem maybe solve sooner.
After the incident I’m still in shocked, I can’t sleep the whole night.
RODOLFO BALDONADO
MOTORMAN 1
First of all I have a question, why the motto of seafarers is safety first and written in front of accommodation of all ship, that time no more safety first of cargo ship and most especially the life of the crew, at that time, I thought this the last time in world because of the attitude of Iranian navy, this very dangerous and first time happen in my hall life and may be I’ll never forget when I’m living in this world.
RUBEN TACULA
MOTORMAN 2
At my age, that was worst experienced in my life. Everybody were scared thinking that “that is the end of our lives”. I never experienced this situation before that’s why I’m very scared especially when they point the gun to me. I just close my eyes and pray that they will not kill anybody.
I hope I will never experience this situation again.
ANDRES ORPIA
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
