At no time did I suggest the master and crew abandon their ship to the whims of nature. Anyone who would do that is criminal.
That said, as long as there are lawyers and lobbyists who can manipulate a situation and get away with it they will. Frankly the crew didn’t stand a chance against all that money.
It’s at that point the crew (or some future crew) may have to consider forcing the CotP into resolution. Even the possibility that a crew might do something desperate (hunger strike or something) could convince a CotP that impressing a civilian crew onboard without pay might not be an acceptable course of action.
When a company and the USCG expects a crew to be fearful, compliant and obedient then why resolve an issue at all? The lawyers and lobbyists will take their sweet time and work out the best deal for their client (as is their duty).