Argentina confirmed on Monday that most of the crew from the training frigate ARA Libertad retained in Ghana is being evacuated and should arrive in Buenos Aires Wednesday night, in a chartered commercial aircraft. Only a small group of officers and 44 crew members will remain on the impounded vessel for maintenance work.
The Argentine government ordered on Saturday the evacuation of the naval training frigate ARA Libertad impounded in Ghana by international creditors, following the warning made on Friday that complaints would be taken to the UN over the controversy.
Argentina demanded that Ghana “assumes its responsibility” of freeing the Navy flagship ARA Libertad, which remains impounded in the African country’s port Tema over claims of US funds and warned Argentina could take the case to the United Nations, because negotiating with ‘vulture funds’ is not an option.
In a PR stunt the US fund NML-Capital offered to fly back free of charge all crew members of the Argentine training frigate ARA Libertad retained in Ghana, but reiterated that to release the vessel Argentina must deposit a 20million dollars bail.
The Argentine tight-lipped ‘political’ delegation sent to Ghana to try and achieve the release of the Navy’s flagship ARA Libertad impounded by a US based fund and confirmed by an Accra court, is returning to Buenos Aires empty handed not before experiencing a tense incident with the crew of the vessel docked in Tema.
The saga of the Argentine Navy flagship ARA Libertad retained in Ghana seems to have no short term political solution as the government of President Cristina Fernandez was expecting, while in Buenos Aires the head of military strategic intelligence resigned and there is mounting pressure on the Ministry of Defence.
Argentina’ Defence Ministry announced on Monday that two top Navy officers had been disciplined for their responsibility in plotting the course of the training frigate ARA Libertad currently retained in Ghana on an injunction from a US based hedge fund and following a failed plea last Thursday.
The Argentine Navy Secretary General Luis María González Day, expressed confidence on Sunday that the joint ministerial commission that went to Ghana to seek the release of the training vessel ARA Libertad will reach a successful agreement.
Argentina is refusing to pay the 20 million dollars in ransom that New York hedge fund dealer Paul Singer is demanding in exchange for releasing the country’s Naval training vessel currently retained in the port of Tempa, Ghana, West Africa, reports the New York Post.
The case of the seized Argentine naval ship ARA Libertad was heard on Tuesday by a Ghana Commercial Court which will rule on Thursday whether to release the vessel impounded on arrival last week at the Port of Tema, according to the official Ghana News Agency.