THE father of an Argyll ex-soldier locked up in India after helping to guard ships against pirates called last night for new international laws to protect maritime security workers.
Jim Irving’s son Billy, 33, an ex-paratrooper, of Connel, near Oban, is one of 35 crew members of an American security vessel who have been in jail in southern India for more than a month.
The detainees, including five other British men, all ex-soldiers, were protecting Indian vessels and other commercial ships from pirates when they were arrested on October 18.
They were detained over claims they had illegal weapons, had entered Indian waters without authorisation, and had illegally obtained fuel.
Mr Irving sen, a former policeman from Appin, wants to see more action from the British Government to get the men released – as they face imprisonment for a year without trial – and rules put in place to prevent the same situation happening again. He said: “My main goal at the moment is to get my son home, as well as the other guys, but I also feel strongly that it is time now, in light of this incident, for the international community to push for definitive regulations to be put in place and signed up to for the protection and guidance of maritime security workers.
“The industry is dangerous enough without having to watch out for the very countries who are employing you. At the moment it’s easy for any country to say these men are carrying guns – of course they are, they are doing security. There need to be some international rules put in place.”
Mr Irving sen last saw his son on July 17 when he set out on his first job with American-based maritime security firm Advanfort on a two-month contract and last heard from him on October 12 when he called to say he would be delayed, but should be home soon. Six days later the 66-year-old was told the ship his son was on – the MV Seaman Guard Ohio – was impounded and the crew arrested and detained in connection with alleged offences under the Arms Act, Commodities Act and Passport Act.
Mr Irving sen said Advanfort had told him the firearms on board were purchased in the UK and properly registered and that they had run short of diesel and had some delivered via an agent before being ordered into port by the Indian coastguard. He said: “All these things they are being accused of are outwith their remit.
“It’s the decision of the company or the captain and to go against that is mutiny. They are taking the easy option of hauling in the crew.
“I know my son. This was his first trip with the company and to make these allegations that he was up to no good is just ridiculous.
“The big disappointment to me has been the lack of support from the British Government.
“I can’t fault the Indian Government because it’s their law and people going into the country have got to respect that.”
He said he felt “brushed off” by Foreign Office staff who organised three visits to the detainees but will now only visit at three-month intervals unless there is a welfare issue.
The Seafarers Mission is organising a rota of the British community in Chennai to visit his son and the other prisoners twice weekly which he said is a “boost” to their worried families at home.
His son’s girlfriend, Yvonne MacHugh, is travelling from the couple’s home to hand a petition with more than 25,000 signatures calling Foreign Secretary William Hague to act to get the men released. Argyll MP Alan Reid hopes to organise a delegation of MPs, including Mr Hague, to meet the Indian high commissioner over the incident.
A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “We are providing consular assistance and are in touch with the local authorities.”