The crew of the abandoned PSV Malaviya Twenty are now likely to receive unpaid wages after the ship was successfully auctioned in the UK.

The UK admiralty marshal said the 4,500-dwt unit (built 2004) had fetched $1.076m this week.

The order priority of claims will not be decided until 60 days after the sale, however.

The vessel was abandoned by its bankrupt Indian owner GOL Offshore.