Even when off duty and onshore, you will find Captain Volodymyr Yeroshkin not far from the sea. These days he reclines off the coast of Costa Blanca in Alicante, soaking in the sun and treasured family time.

Not long ago he was on the other side of the Mediterranean, at the forefront of what has been dubbed one of the longest maritime standoffs in European history. In early August the tanker vessel he was captaining, Maersk Etienne, became embroiled in a political stalemate that left the ship stranded at sea for close to six weeks.

The 37,000dwt Danish-flagged Maersk Etienne was on route to La Skhira, Tunisia when the call came from the Maltese Rescue Coordination Centre, alerting them to a small boat carrying 27 persons. The Etienne immediately changed its course to watch over the distressed boat, anchoring at 16 nautical miles southeast off Malta.

“The moment of embarkation was perilous,” says Volodymyr Yeroshkin. “As we lowered the rope ladder, we knew there were risks of scuffles, falls, injuries and even fatalities. Factoring the high freeboard and dire weather conditions, I saw that our chances of successful embarkation were slim.”

The timing could not have proved more critical for a short while later, everyone watched in horror as the strong winds and rolling seas capsized the boat below. The 27 persons had been saved just in time.

It wasn’t the impulse to rescue the distressed alone that raced through the captain’s mind; there was also trepidation around what his crew may encounter, including exposure to coronavirus. Stretching the vessel’s 24-member capacity with an additional 27 passengers was another strain on supplies and infrastructure.

“But,” emphasizes the captain, “on a ship, you do not turn your back. Even if you have doubts or are afraid, you carry out your duties.”

As the rescuees stepped on board, it was difficult for the captain and crew not to feel sympathy for their new guests. “My heart went out to them,” says Volodymyr, “you could see their crippling exhaustion and dehydration, and the extreme levels of poverty they were coming from – the skin on their bodies was all the property they owned.”

Vladimir Markovic was the Chief Officer onboard Maersk Etienne during that fateful voyage and in charge of medical care: “It was challenging to set up a makeshift quarantine and minimize contact and risk during the first two weeks. The survivors had gone days without food and water, so we assigned several crew members to help restore their health. At the same time, our crewmen had to do their respective daily duties looking after the vessel.”

But as the weeks passed by and no government stepped up to fulfil its duty, fatigue and frustration started to set in on the standstill vessel. A tipping point came when three of the new passengers jumped overboard.