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Yacht crew can now use WhatsApp to contact the free, international helpline Yacht Crew Help for 24-hour help and support.

Yacht Crew Help is operated by the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) and was launched in November 2020. In 2022 so far, ISWAN’s helpline for yacht crew has handled over 100 cases involving issues such as bullying and harassment, unpaid wages and mental health support.

Yacht Crew Help is free, confidential and operates 24 hours a day, all year round. As well as the new WhatsApp channel, yacht crew who have a question or problem or need someone to talk to can also contact ISWAN’s experienced helpline team via telephone, e-mail and Live Chat.

ISWAN’s Project and Relationships Manager Georgia Allen said:

‘Yacht crew should be able to access support when they need it as easily as possible, wherever they are in the world. WhatsApp is the second most popular channel for seafarers getting in touch with our core helpline, SeafarerHelp, and we hope that offering this convenient contact method on Yacht Crew Help will be helpful to yacht crew who prefer using messaging apps for communication.’

Yacht crew can contact Yacht Crew Help on WhatsApp on +44 (0)7514 500153. Further contact details, guidance and resources for yacht crew can be found at www.yachtcrewhelp.org.