British Ex-servicemen on Anti-Piracy Mission Abandoned by Government

I wrote to my MP about this matter, because I was quite appalled by the of Nick Dunn and his five colleagues.

Dear Mr Goodwill

I have just watched on BBC Look North (18:30h 03-Oct-2014) an article about Nick Dunn from Ashington along with the rest of the crew of an anti-piracy vessel were arrested in October last  year.  They were charged with illegally entering Indian waters and illegally carrying firearms.  The charges were quashed in July - three months ago - but the authorities refused to allow the men to leave the country.  Just now the police are attempting to appeal the not guilty verdict.  If the Indian Supreme Court allows leave of appeal at the end of this month, it will probably be months more waiting in India, whatever the outcome.

In the mean time, Nick and the rest of the crew say they feel abandoned by their employer, who hasn't even paid them since they were arrested; and let down by the British government 

The crew have been held in an Indian jail for 6 months, spent 3 months on bail before the charges were quashed and denied permission to leave the country for 3 months to date; and the nightmare continues.  

Nick's family are struggling financially, and the British government are not doing so much as funding the men's hotel accommodation!  Nick's sister, Lisa Dunn, said that the family cannot understand why these men and in particular these six ex-military British men who are innocent of any wrong-doing and any charges and are still being held in a country three months on, why aren't our government fighting for these men?"  I have the same question.  

Nick and his five crew mates are all ex-servicemen who have done their duty for our country in the armed services, and in their subsequent anti-piracy duties are doing a service to the world.  Piracy is an incredibly big threat to world trade.  I have long felt that we are not doing nearly enough to tackle it, appearing toothless alongside gunmen in boats who take hostages and demand ransoms, take huge ships and even oil tankers, and make it more expensive and potentially unachievable to move goods by the highly efficient mechanisms across the high seas that we have created in the past 50 years. 

I want to see the government pulling out all the stops to help Nick and his colleagues in their predicament.  I want to see representations being made to the Indian government for their release and repatriation, representations being made to the American government to intercede in the case of the company who stopped paying them, and to look after the men and their families.  They are British citizens who were doing an important job of work and we owe them a duty of care.

Could you tell me how you can help take this matter forward with great urgency please.

Thanks and kind regards

- Andi Ye