Romanian Given Asylum After Jumping Ship in Fla.

A Romanian merchant seaman who jumped ship in Jacksonville was granted political asylum today by U.S. immigration officials who said he had a “well-founded fear” of being persecuted if returned to the communist country.

Seaman Stefan Vernea, 38, of Constanta, Romania, was given asylum by Perry Rivkind, Miami district director for the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.

“The action was taken through normal asylum-claim procedures,” said George Waldroup, assistant district director.

He said Rivkind made the decision after receiving “a positive advisory opinion from the Department of State, which found that Mr. Vernea had established a well-founded fear of persecution.” Waldroup did not elaborate.

He did not say what was immediately planned for Vernea, except that the sailor “does not wish to meet with anybody on the matter, and we are respecting his wishes.”

Protective Custody

Vernea was being held in protective custody by U.S. authorities.

The seaman, whose Romanian-owned ship, the Balder Strand, was docked in the St. Johns River north of Jacksonville, apparently contacted U.S. officials without fanfare and was questioned in the Romanian language Wednesday evening by the INS, said Patrick Korten, a Justice Department spokesman in Washington.

Government officials said he was questioned to determine if he met the criteria for asylum: a true desire to stay and a reason to believe he would be persecuted if he went home.

Verne Jervis, an INS spokesman in Washington, called the case routine, citing figures indicating that 83 Romanians have been granted asylum this year.

“Romanian ship jumpers are not unusual,” he said.