The sailors stranded 8,000 miles from home

Trade unions representing sailors have claimed that hundreds of thousands are still being prevented from travelling home because of Covid restrictions and border closures.

Some seafarers stranded in northern Germany haven’t been able to see their families on the other side of the world for nearly two years.

One hundred and thirty men from Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean who are living in a youth hostel say they’re now desperate to return.

Their government sealed off borders at the start of the pandemic to stop the virus getting onto the island, which has still recorded no positive cases.

Authorities there have told them they’re doing all they can to get them home.