The ship breaking yards in Alang, India,  and in Chittagong, Bangladesh, are where more than half of the world’s old ships, oil tankers and ocean liners  go to be beached like huge whales, stripped, cut into pieces, and cannibalized for iron and steel to be used in building new ships.

These hell holes are not just a killing ground for old vessels; thousands of hapless, but able-bodied young men have lost their lives doing back-breaking work in one of most hazardous working conditions in the world. Not only do they have to work without any basic safety equipment, they have to also endure prolonged exposure to toxic chemicals and waste matter during the course of work. Lung cancer and asbestosis is quite common among these poor souls.

Visit this link to see some haunting photographs of decaying ships and desperate men, and also some information about them compiled from various sources.

Don't miss a single post, subscribe to JazJaz by RSS feed or by email. Thanks for visiting!

To get your daily fix of JazJaz, subscribe to the Full RSS feed!