VLADIVOSTOK, October 12 (RIA Novosti) - A cargo vessel with nine Russian crewmembers stranded in the United Arab Emirates has been impounded, an inspector from the International Transport Workers' Federation said.

The Magdalena, owned by a German company and flying the flag of Antigua and Barbuda, has been anchored 16 miles off UAE coast near Dubai since early August due to an engine breakdown.

"The vessel was impounded for wage arrears and a lawyer representing sailors said that on Monday he will turn the documents on the arrest of the ship to the port authorities in Dubai," Pyotr Osichansky said.

The vessel's owner reportedly owes the crew $230,000 in wage arrears. Onboard are nine Russians, two Ukrainians, four citizens of the Philippines, and one Estonian. Five of the sailors went on a hunger strike in demand of back pay.

The crew earlier asked for international aid as they were running out of food and water.

This is not the first incident involving Russian sailors abroad. Last September, Chinese authorities impounded the Vasily Yan cargo ship and the Professor Voskresensky vessel over debts of the ships' Russian owner, the Arctic Shipping Company.

In addition, around 60 Russian sailors on six fishing vessels were "abandoned" in Vietnam by Russian ship owners. The sailors have not been paid their wages for several months.