Canada: Update to CAN16992.E of 19 April 1994, on a group of seamen who refused to sail from Saint John, New Brunswick in May 1990
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 May 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CAN17383.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Canada: Update to CAN16992.E of 19 April 1994, on a group of seamen who refused to sail from Saint John, New Brunswick in May 1990, 1 May 1994, CAN17383.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac950.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on the above subject varies with regard to the date of the ship's arrival at the port of Saint John and the events surrounding the handing over of the seamen's passports.
In a telephone interview on 3 May 1994, a representative of the Canada Immigration Centre in Saint John, New Brunswick, provided the following information. On 14 May 1990, a Turkish ship called the Karayel I entered the port of Saint John, New Brunswick. On 15 May 1990 the ship left without the 18 Turkish seamen, who had signed off the ship but had left their seamen passports aboard. The CIC representative indicated that he did not know why the ship had departed without the seamen, or why the seamen had refused to return on the ship. After the ship had departed, the Canada Immigration Centre in Saint John issued visitor documents to the seamen. These documents were valid until 17 May 1990, the date on which they were supposed to leave from Toronto for Turkey. The Canada Immigration Centre in Saint John also gave them a letter explaining their situation and why they did not have their seamen passports. The letter was issued in case an explanation was required by the Turkish authorities. The representative further indicated that to his knowledge 17 of the 18 seamen had left Canada.
A representative of the agent of the Dragon Shipping Company (shipowners), at the time these events occurred, provided the following information. On 11 May 1990, the ship arrived in the port of Saint John (10 May 1994). Complaining about the lack of food and the cold on the boat, 18 Turkish seamen refused to go back on board (ibid.). After an investigation of the ship, the shipping company representative concluded that there was sufficient food on board for the duration of the trip, and that the cold was normal for that time of year (ibid.). After the captain returned the seamen's passports, the ship left on 13 May 1990 without the 18 seamen (ibid.). The owners of the ship subsequently arranged air flights for every seaman to return to Turkey (ibid.).
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Canada Immigration Centre, Saint John, NB. 3 May 1994. Telephone interview with representative.
Representative of the agent for the Dragon Shipping Company, Saint John, NB. 10 May 1990. Telephone interview.
Additional sources consulted
CBC, Saint John, NB. Telephone interview
Evening Times Globe, Saint John, NB. Telephone interview.
