While kidnap will always be traumatic, action can be taken to mitigate the impacts on crews according to Mental Health Support Solutions

Although shipmanagers and owners are taking ever greater steps to protect their crews, the fact is that piracy is rife throughout parts of Asia, Africa and the Americas and it is likely that on any day of the year, a vessel will have been boarded by pirates and the crew subjected to a nightmare experience

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Charles Watkins
CEO and Clinical Psychologist
Mental Health Support Solutions

Any crew suffering this chilling event will be impacted for an extended period of time, as will their families. But there are steps that can be taken by both hostages and their employers that will help to minimise the negative impact according to Charles Watkins, Founder of Mental Health Support Solutions (MHSS).

"Sadly this is not an uncommon occurrence," he said. "Recently we have seen an incident on the Monjasa Reformer, a Danish oil tanker which was boarded in March, forcing the crew of 16 to lock themselves away in the ship's safe room. They have just been rescued after more than five weeks under exceptionally challenging circumstances and my thoughts are with them and their loved ones. I hope that their employers and families understand that every individual will have a different response to the events and recovery will take place at a different pace for each of them."