SKIPPER REPORTED ‘TECHNICAL PROBLEM’ AND HEADED FOR AUSTRALIA
Australian authorities had informed the Sri Lankan government yesterday that they had seized a multi-day trawler with six men on board who had attempted to illegally migrate to Australia. The multi-day trawler ‘ Lakderana ‘ had left the Suduwella, Fishery Habour in Dickwella as instructed by its owner Niroshan Kurukulasuriya (44) of Kottegoda for deep sea fishing.
The skipper and the fishermen were from Tangalle, Beliatta, and Hungama areas.
About ten days later, the skipper had given a radio message to the owner that the trawler had lost course due to a technical problem and was floating in international waters. However the Ministry of Fisheries that investigated the complaint of the owner and the officials of the fishery harbour located the trawler sailing for Australia and that it had not developed any technical defect.
During investigations several fishermen told police that they met the trawler in deep sea and that the skipper requested them to join the voyage, which they refused. The Ministry of Fisheries on the request of the Matara Division Fraud Investigation Unit under SP G.h.marapana, Dickwella Police, and the Navy alerted the Australian authorities on the suspicious trawler.
A senior official of the Suduwella Fishery Harbour said the Australian government would hand over the six fishermen to the Sri Lankan police for legal action.