Merchant Shipping Act 1970

62 Relief and return of seamen left behind, etc.

(1) Where—

(a) a person employed as a seaman in a ship registered in the United Kingdom is left behind in any country outside the United Kingdom or is taken to such a country on being shipwrecked; or

(b) a person who became so employed under an agreement entered into outside the United Kingdom is left behind in the United Kingdom or is taken to the United Kingdom on being shipwrecked ;

the persons who last employed him as a seaman shall make such provision for his return and for his relief and maintenance until his return and such other provisions as may be required by regulations made by the Board of Trade.

(2) The provisions to be so made may include the repayment of expenses incurred in bringing a shipwrecked seaman ashore and maintaining him until he is brought ashore and the payment of the expenses of the burial or cremation of a seaman who dies before he can be returned.

(3) The Board of Trade may also make regulations providing for the manner in which any wages due to any person left behind or taken to any country as mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, and any property of his left on board ship, are to be dealt with.

(4) The Board of Trade may make regulations requiring a superintendent or proper officer—

(a) to make such provision as may be prescribed by the regulations with respect to any matter for which provision may be required to be made by regulations under the preceding provisions of this section; and

(b) to make the like provision with respect to citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies found in distress in any country outside the United Kingdom after being employed in ships registered in, or belonging to the government of, such a country.

(5) Without prejudice to the generality of the preceding provisions, regulations made under this section may make provision—

(a) for determining the place to which a person is to be returned;

(b) for requiring the master of any ship registered in the United Kingdom to convey a person to a place determined in accordance with the regulations and for enabling a superintendent or proper officer to give the master directions for that purpose ;

(c) for the making of payments in respect of the conveyance of a person in accordance with the regulations; and

(d) for the keeping of records and the rendering of accounts.

(6) Regulations under this section may make a contravention of any provision thereof an offence punishable on summary conviction with a fine not exceeding £100 or such less amount as may be specified in the regulations.

(7) This section applies to a person left behind on being discharged in pursuance of section 5 of this Act, whether or not at the time he is left behind the ship is still registered in the United Kingdom.