You're reading: Court satisfies claim by Ukrainian sailors from St. Sophia

A Cypriot court has satisfied a claim by Ukrainian sailors from the earlier arrested St. Sophia, the director of the Foreign Ministry's consular service department, Andriy Olefirov, has told Interfax-Ukraine.

"The court ruling was in favour of the Ukrainian sailors… The decision was made to put the ship up for auction, [and] its estimated value is $450,000," the diplomat said.

Olefirov said that salaries to the crewmembers will be paid from the sum raised from the sale, and this was the sailors had been trying to achieve in court.

He also said that the Ukrainian sailors are expected to return home in the near future.

The St. Sophia has been at a remote roadstead at Port Said near the Suez Canal since May 5, 2010. The port authorities did not allow the ship to enter the port for repairs, and the crew was not allowed to go ashore, because the company operating the vessel owed debts.

The St. Sophia was declared unseaworthy and unsafe. Later, some crewmembers left the vessel, but the captain and three sailors decided to remain aboard in order to maintain the vessel.