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Wife of offshore worker stranded in Ghana pleads for his employers to get him home to Beauly


By Louise Glen

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The Starke family from Beauly.
The Starke family from Beauly.

An offshore worker from Beauly is stuck in Ghana, after the country went into lockdown while he was at sea.

George Starke (53), and his 12 colleagues, are stuck in the African country with no idea when they might get out.

Mr Starke's wife Mary, and his disabled son 12-year-old Harry are desperately trying to find out when he will get out of the country.

Mr Starke was initially put up in a hotel that the Ghanian government had commandeered for coronavirus victims.

Mrs Starke, who lives at home with her son and her 80-year-old mother, said: "The only support so far that the company has given my husband and their colleagues is a mobile phone, hand gel and malaria tablets. We are desperate to get him out of the country and home to Scotland."

Ghana has had multiple coronavirus deaths and the country was placed in lockdown after the majority of cases were from foreign nationals coming into the country.

Mrs Starke said her husband was at sea when the coronavirus pandemic struck, and after completing his seven week stint aboard ship was told the team had to stay on to finish the job.

Mary and George Starke on their wedding day with son Harry.
Mary and George Starke on their wedding day with son Harry.

Eventually Mr Starke came into port in Ghana and his employer arranged to have them flown to the country's main airport in Accra.

Mrs Starke continued: "But when they came off the one-hour internal flight the country had gone into lockdown. I have no idea why his employer did not know this.

"He was then put up in the IBIS hotel at Accra airport only to discover that it was the hotel that was being used for coronavirus victims in the country. I am completely shocked that they were sent there."

A number of options exist to get the team out of the country. As there are no international flights and the borders are in lockdown, the team have been told the company are trying to charter a private flight, or the men will come home aboard the ship they were working on, which will take four weeks.

Mrs Starke said: "Our son is disabled. He is profoundly deaf, is autistic and suffers from a rare condition juvenile pernicious anaemia. We need his dad home, it is very worrying for everyone."

A spokeswoman for Subsea 7 said: “Subsea 7 is doing all we can and is urgently looking to various options to bring our colleagues home safely and as quickly as possible.

“We recognise this is a very difficult and worrying time and are keeping our colleagues informed of the evolving situation.

“We are working with the relevant governments, port authorities, embassies and local agencies on all options to find a resolution. Our main concern remains the safety and welfare of our crew.

“Subsea 7 remains vigilant and is constantly monitoring the global situation on the COVID-19 virus. With our mobile workforce and global reach of our work projects, we have implemented a range of safety measures and precautions across the company and are keeping our workforce, partners and suppliers well informed, as well as providing the necessary support and guidance required.”


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