O. KONAVALOV vs COMMANDER, COAST GUARD REGION .

The Supreme Court addressed the appeals concerning the payment of wages to the crew of the vessel Kobe Queen I, which was seized under the Customs Act, 1962. The Court held that under Section 125 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, crew members are entitled to claim wages from the proceeds of the sale of the vessel, despite the vessel's violation of Indian territorial waters. The Court emphasized that the crew's rights to wages should not be compromised due to the vessel's legal issues, thereby allowing the crew's claims to be prioritized from the sale proceeds.