Four students from a Scottish college are stranded on a ship in the South China Sea.

The Glasgow College cadets were due to arrive home earlier this month but the collapse of the South Korean shipping giant Hanjin has left them in limbo.

Ruaridh Hanna, from Dingwall in the Highlands, said they are among 2500 stranded seafarers worldwide.

Hanjin has reportedly refused to dock its ships over fears they could be seized by the authorities.

The students are trapped aboard the the Hanjin Louisiana, which is anchored near the Strait of Malacca - an area of Pacific Ocean which is notorious for piracy.

They say they have had little communication with Hanjin and are concerned about when their supplies will be replenished.

Mr Hanna said: "The latest is that we've been told to anchor 40 miles east of Singapore and we've been told to wait for further instructions.

"As this situation is unprecedented, it is unclear how long we will be stuck here for - it literally could be days weeks or months.

"There seems to be some movement of Hanjin vessels around the port of Sinagpore today so that's a promising sign. We just have to wait and see."

Mr Hanna is stranded with David Gorniak, 27, from Fife, Gavin McPhail, 21, from Paisley, and a 25-year-old sailor who has asked not to be named.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are ready to provide consular assistance to any British nationals that have been affected after Hanjin Shipping filed for bankruptcy in a number of countries."

The Clyde Marine Training Cadets all attend the City of Glasgow College and were sponsored to participate in the work placement aboard the Hanjin Louisiana by Zodiac Maritime.

Mr McPhail said: "We spent 12 days drifting 30 nautical miles off of Sri Lanka with provisions depleting rapidly.

"Eventually with nine days left of provisions on board the captain received instruction to make a six-day voyage to Singapore to receive provisions.

"Now with three months provisions on board we are at anchor 39 nautical miles off Singapore with no information as to how long we will be stuck here.

"The hardest part is the not knowing and lack of information we are being given.

"It is also hard being an engine cadet at anchor, as the main engine isn't running there are very few jobs to be done, preventing me from getting the necessary experience I require for my training.

"However Nautilus, have been very helpful and having three other cadets onboard from the same college definitely makes things easier, also the crew are fantastic and constantly trying to raise moral."

SNP MP Drew Hendry has been working with the Nautilus International seafarers' union to get the sailors home.

The Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey politician said: "The human cost of this situation is still little known, with over 2500 seafarers stranded out at sea including these four cadets.

"After Ruaridh got in touch, my immediate concern - and that of my colleagues - was to get him and his colleagues home to their families.

"Over the past couple of weeks my office and I have been working with Nautilus and other agencies to find ways making this happen and we have been utterly exasperated at the lack of ownership of the situation and poor responsiveness of Zodiac, the company the students have been placed with.

"The cadets had a glimmer of hope when it was suggested that they might have been able to get off the ship and on to the supply boat but it seems that is no longer an option.

"They now face the unwelcome prospect of been stranded for months as Hanjin continue to refuse to port their ships."

He added: "Hanjin have raised cases in courts all over the world, seeking legal guarantees that their creditors won't be able to seize the vessel and goods on-board when they dock.

"These young cadets cannot be expected to be adrift while all this plays out in the courts."

A spokesman for Clyde Marine Training said: "We are in regular contact our cadets and their families and understand just how frustrating this situation is for them.

"Their well-being is of paramount importance, and we remain in close communication with all parties concerned in order to offer any practical assistance we can and to ensure that they are able to return home as soon as is possible."

Despite its recent difficulties, Hanjin's shares rallied 28% on Thursday after its biggest shareholder, Korean Air, agreed to lend the firm £41.5m.