(1) A seafarer who has been left behind or discharged from a ship as a result of the seafarer's

(a) desertion,

(b) imprisonment, or

(c) inability to proceed to the ship because of an illness or infirmity that was wilfully concealed at the time of the engagement of the seafarer, is not entitled to be returned at the expense of the master or owner under section 182.

(2) The owner, master or agent of the ship from which a seafarer mentioned in subsection (1) has been left behind or discharged, shall make the necessary arrangements to defray the expenses incurred for the return of the seafarer to a proper return port as if the seafarer were entitled to it.

(3) An owner, a master or an agent shall be reimbursed for the expenses incurred under subsection (2) out of the wages owed to the seafarer at the time the seafarer left the ship or out of the proceeds from the sale of any of the seafarer's effects left on board the ship

(4) Where this is not sufficient, the owner, master or agent may take the legal action that the owner, master or agent considers appropriate.

(5) Despite subsection (1), (3) or (4) the owner, the master or the agent shall ensure that the seafarer does not become a charge on the Republic.