The net result was that the seaman has been sentenced to 10 years in a Soviet concentration camp. and the United States received a black eye all over the world for its crassness in dealing with a man who sought freedom in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Perhaps the individuals concerned had the North Korean seizure cf the Pueblo on January 23. 1968. in mind. and feared some repeat of that incident. In any event. right off Marthas Vineyard in American territorial waters. a much more shameful incident took place on Simas Kudirka. an Englishspeaking radio operator abroad a Soviet fishing vessel. the Sovietskaja Litva. which was moored together with the Coast Guard vessel ironically named Vigilant. jumped aboard the American ship several hours after he had passed a note to our sailors that he intended to defect and seek asylum aboard her. In the intervening and succeeding hours an incredible succession of acts took place. all entirely apart from our long tradition of affording a haven for the refugee from tyranny of any kind. The chief culprits were officers so perhaps the American crew which stood by unmovingly cannot be blamed in any way. The rendezvous had previously been arranged to allow American and Soviet representatives to discuss fishing matters. mostly relating to the "overharvesting" of the yellow tail flounder. and three civilians from the New England fishing industry and two from the Department of Commerce Marine Fisheries Service were on the Vigilant.
Keywords matched
seek asylum refugee