the Chronicle Herald is Reporting:
The owner of a cockroach-infested tugboat detained in Halifax for safety problems says the crew should fix the boat rather than appeal to the public for help to return to their homes in Central America.
Gerard Antoine, the president of Vesta Shipping which owns the tugboat, says he doesn’t think he has any responsibility to help pay for tickets to have the crew return home.
He says the crew should stay on the vessel, repair it and complete a journey to Montreal to pick up another vessel and tow it to Mexico.

CBC News Also Had this story:

The tug Craig Trans has been detained in Halifax since prior to christmas for safety violations were uncovered during an inspection. the crew of the tug had run out of food prior to arrival. They have since been detained here, without being paid, and the vessel owner is apprently un responsive.

The Mission to SeaFarers in Halifax is raising money to send the crew home. They have also been taking care of the crew while the vessel is detained. If you want to help, you can donate at http://www.missiontoseafarershalifax.ca/donate.html

The Tug Craig Trans arrived in Halifax Several days ago to wait out weather, it is being deatined for deficencies in the vessel and its accomidations. The crew apparently ran out of food 3 days out of Halifax.

CTV News Reports:
It came in out of the weather to the Port of Halifax,” says Michele Peverill of the Halifax Port Authority. “Transport Canada did an inspection and noted deficiencies that need to be repaired before it can leave port.”

Aboard the boat are eight Honduran sailors, who ran out of food and water three days ago.
“On the boat is, ah, right now, is no water, no food, it’s kind of tough on the boat right now. We get here, it’s better. We get a lot of help here,” says Chief Mate Pedro Andrade.
Help has come from the Mission to Seafarers.

“The first thing we did this morning was take breakfast onboard for them and some hot coffee. We supplied food again at lunchtime,” says Mission to Seafarers co-ordinator Maggie Wittingham-Lamont.

“There’s no water to bathe, we had a couple of jugs for drinking,” says Andrade.
Jim Stonehouse says his company, Atship, is fronting money, taking care of humanitarian needs and even took one crew member to hospital for a minor ailment.

Andrade says the tug was on its way to Montreal where it was assigned to pick up a ship for scrap.
The Craig Trans was built in 1944 in Florida and is registered in the landlocked South American country of Bolivia. It is owned by Vesta Shipping of New Jersey.
“A lot of things got to be touched up,” says Andrade.

Wittingham-Lamont says donations of money or lightly-used winter clothing would be appreciated from anyone who wants to help the crew.