Mid-sea rescue of 73 asylum seekers

Seventy three asylum seekers who had stealthly slipped out of the Mirrisa Beach on board a multi-day trawler were marooned in mid sea when it developed engine trouble.

They were brought to the Galle Harbour on Navy vessel ‘Samudra’ after being rescued yesterday by a merchant vessel that had spotted the trawler in distress.

The asylum seekers included one Sinhalese and 72 Tamils and the group comprised 46 males, ten females and 17 children.