SAVED BY MULTI -DAY TRAWLER

FIVE FISHERMEN

Agroup of five fishermen on board a Multi-day Trawler that wrecked and sank in deep sea about 200 nautical miles off Hambantota fishery harbour when it hit a ship, had been saved by another Multiday craft. They were brought to the Kudawella fishery harbour yesterday. They said their trawler was wrecked and sank within minutes leaving them to the mercy of the waves and that they would have perished if not for the Multi-day craft “Tharuk 01” that came to their rescue.

The fishermen on board the ill fated trawler Skipper Y.anura (45) K.H. Lionel (30), K.H. Winura Prabhath (24) W.C. Asoka (28), and K.G. Isuru (27) were residents of Kudawella, Nakulugamuwa and Nilwella areas.

The Skipper Anura said they cast anchor after having a bumper harvest of fish valued about Rs.1 million when they met with the accident.

“We were fast asleep when we felt a jerk with a thumping noise. We woke up all at once to find that the trawler that developed a leak in the front portion was sinking. Just then we noticed a ship sailing nearby. We realized that all of us were doomed. I immediately radioed a SOS to the harbour. In a short while we noticed two boats approaching. Those who came in the trawlers rescued us from the sinking vessel by means of ropes. No sooner we were taken on board the two trawlers, the ill-fated trawler sank and disappeared,” he said.

The owner of the trawler Y.g.sisira Kumara said he incurred a loss of about Rs.10 million but he was happy that the five men escaped unhurt in the accident.