The crew of an Indian ship stranded in Scotland for almost six months is taking legal action.

The Malaviya Seven was detained in Aberdeen in October amid claims the crew was owed thousands of pounds by shipping giant GOL Offshore.

Lawyers for the crew this week asked Aberdeen Sheriff Court for authority to arrest the supply ship and a writ was served on Tuesday preventing it from leaving port.

The crew is now expected to attempt to claim wages from the ship's owner and the vessel could be sold off if their claims are not settled.

Liam Wilson, Scotland inspector for the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), which appointed the crew's legal team, said: "I can confirm that legal action is being taken on behalf of the crew of the Malaviya Seven."

The Malaviya was twice detained in Aberdeen last year. It was first held in June on the orders of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency after being contracted to a UK oil company.

Wages owed to the crew were eventually paid and the ship was released in August.

It returned to Aberdeen after being hired by a European oil company and was detained again by the MCA on similar charges.

Some of the 36 men aboard the Malaviya Seven have reportedly been forced to take out loans to support their families and many have not been home for nearly a year.

They were looked after by Aberdeen's Christian community at Christmas.

The Malaviya Seven's sister ship, the Malaviya Twenty, was detained in Great Yarmouth last June and arrested in December. The crew returned home after being paid in February following the intervention of the ITF.