NINE Liberian asylum seekers spent another night aboard a Croatian cargo ship in Waterford last night waiting for permission to enter the State.
The group of eight men and a teenage boy said they stowed away last December when the ship, the Buga, collected timber at Buchanan in the West African state of Liberia. They said they had been discovered by the crew after about a week and allowed to stay on board.
The Buga called at Turkey and Greece and was carrying more than 30,000 tonnes of powder cement when it docked at Bellview Harbour outside Waterford yesterday afternoon. It had been moored off Dunmore East since Friday.
The nine were interviewed on board by Garda William Mortell yesterday afternoon. All of them spoke good English. Garda Mortell said they told him they were afraid to return to Liberia: "They're being well looked after and are in good spirits."
Garda Supt Pat Brehony said their statements would be sent to the immigration section of the Department of Justice which would decide if the Liberians could land and apply for political asylum.
Until then, the ship's captain was responsible for their welfare, he said.
"We have to see exactly what they're seeking. And if they were refused entry to other countries that could complicate things," Supt Brehony said.
"Obviously they're concerned about the situation in their home country and they don't want to go back there.
A man who told gardai he was a representative from the Nigerian embassy arrived at the harbour yesterday afternoon to talk to the men. He would not talk to the media, other than to say he was there to see the men.
The proprietor of a local hostel also arrived at the dock, saying he could offer the Liberians accommodation should they be allowed ashore.
The Buga was docked alongside another freighter in Bellview last night, with permission to stay in the harbour for a number of days.
The Irish Refugee Council said it was waiting for a decision from the Department of Justice on the men's future.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said officials would have to wait for the information contained in the statements before deciding if they would be allowed into the State. That may happen today or tomorrow.
Asked why the men had chosen Ireland, Garda Mortell said they had no destination in mind when they stowed away. They just wanted to get out of Liberia.
More than 150,000 people have been killed in the six year Liberian civil war and around 750,000 people have fled the country since 1989. Last year a peace deal was agreed between the warring factions.
