Captive Georgian ship flees Libya, guided by stars
TBILISI – A Georgian-flagged ship whose 10-member crew had been stranded in Libya for nearly 11 months over a business dispute has arrived in Malta after seizing on confusion around the uprising against Muammar Qaddafi to make a break for it, Radio Liberty reported.
Their escape was guided by the stars because of damage to their navigation equipment.
The crew of the "Vasilios N" -- six Georgian sailors, three Ukrainians, and one Azerbaijani -- had been stranded in the Libyan town of Misurata following a dispute between the ship's owners and the purchaser of its cargo, which was partially damaged in a storm.
During much of their ordeal, the sailors were short of food, medicine, and clothing, and survived mostly by fishing.
Last week, amid continuing unrest in Libya, the six Georgian sailors made a request to be evacuated, saying the Misurata seaport had been shelled and their lives were in danger.
But on Wednesday, the crew took matters into its own hands and managed to steer the "Vasilios N" out of Misurata.
Media reports said representatives of Georgia's consulate in Italy were in touch with the Georgian sailors and were promising assistance.
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