CAR POSTS FROM krante, s
DEPARTMENT OF TRADE
Shipping Policy Division
The Adelphi John Adam Street London WC2N 6BQ Telegrams Civilair London Telex No. 22110/22119
Telephone Direct Line 01-217
3736 Switchboard 01-217 3000
H G Davy Esq
General Council of British Shipping
30/32 St Mary Axe
EC3A 8ET
T
Your reference
Our reference
Date
16 September 1977
16
Ijea, lovace
REFUGEES
1
Your letter of 13 July to Wally Henry raises some questions which are difficult to answer as it touches on many different facets which are the responsibility of various departments in government.
The first question is what guidance would Government recommend to a Master should 1
small boat' refugees be sighted. We consider that the Master should be reminded of his duties under section 6 of the Maritime Conventions Act 1911 ie:
"The master or person in charge of a vessel shall, so far as he can
do so without serious danger to his own vessel, her crew and passengers (if any) render assistance to every person, even if such a person be a subject of a foreign State at war with this Majesty, who is found at sea in danger of being lost, and, if he fails to do so, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanour".
I am sure, however, that your members are already aware of this requirement.
2
Your second question concerns the relocation of refugees once they have been picked up.
The answer to this is difficult to relate in hard and fast terms for individual cases but basically it is in two parts,
a) b)
relocation at the first port of call
ultimate relocation if the refugees are rejected at all foreign ports on the ships route.
Relocation at the first port of call is a matter for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The circumstances of the rescue should be reported by the Monter to the Office of the UNHCR or one of his regional representatives. This should be done as quickly as possible either through the local ships agents or threuch the shipowners London office. The London office can either telephone the le dan representative of UNHCR, UNHCR headquarters in Geneva or contact the l depuerimot in the CO.
In every case the FCO should be advised.
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