A Tuesday afternoon in August, the crew aboard Maersk Etienne received a call that became the start of an unsightly process, which led a merchant vessel to come to a standstill for 38 days, while concerns mounted both on board and throughout the entire shipping industry.

The vessel from Danish shipping company Maersk Tankers was contacted by the Maltese coast guard, which had observed a small boat carrying 27 people on the open sea. The passengers counted a pregnant woman and a minor.