COLOMBIAN authorities  are denying “ humanitarian assistance” to 18 crew  members of a ship under the Panama flag, stranded off the coast  of  Barranquilla.

However, given "the refusal of the maritime and judicial authorities of Colombia" we have failed to get the   sailors landed ashore to take the plane back to their country, said  Panama’s Maritime Authority (AMP) .

On  January , the Directorate General of Merchant Marine of AMP sent a nautical inspector on board for a safety inspection and to check the condition of the crew and ship.

"On inspection we found neglect of the ship and its crew by the ship-owner, who unilaterally broke ties with them.  There were   also safety gaps which  resulted  in  the recommendation not to authorize the ship to  navigate  itself," said the AMP.

The Authority  sent a note to the Port of Barranquilla to apply to the Directorate General Maritime Maritime Authority of Colombia to allow the ship  to anchor in the waters of the Magdalena River Port of Barranquilla, in order to "facilitate, humanitarian  assistance and repatriation of the crew paid for by the Panamanian government, however, the landing of the crew has not been allowed "

"The AMP will continue to monitor the condition of the ship and its crew to ensure that national and international regulations that protect labor and social rights of seafarers are met," the statement said.

The Colombian newspaper El Heraldo reported that the  Agatis is anchored 2 miles from Bocas de Ceniza, Barranquilla. ‘’The vessel arrived there from Morocco " with engine problems that limit its  operation.,"