U.S. District Judge David Ezra yesterday held off on issuing an order allowing creditors to sell the Obod. But Ezra could do so next month if the owner, Barmar Ship Management LTD and Oktoih Overseas Shipping Co. is unable to reach a settlement with its creditors. Ezra said he will deal with the issue after April 9 when he returns from a Mainland trip. The judge raised the possibility that by next month, the various parties involved in the case will have agreed on the details of the sale. For eight Obod sailors who attended yesterday's court hearing, the delay meant more time away from their families in Montenegro, a former Yugoslav republic.
People are nervous, scared.
A dozen sailors are suing for unpaid wages and other damages. Also suing is Nordic Technical Development Inc., the tugboat company that towed the ship. The Obod ran into trouble last September while bound for the East Coast to deliver building materials for a Washington, D.C., convention center. The ship lost part of its cargo during a powerful storm at sea. Then the engine conked out.