Another 43 asylum seekers arrested

2 November 2012 05:08 am

At least 43 asylum seekers including 33 men, 8 women and 2 children who had illegally left for Australia off Puttalam seas on a multi day trawler were arrested at the Beruwela Fishing Habour by the Navy and the coastal guard last night, police said.

The trawler they had been sailing had drifted ashore to the Beruwela fishing habour due to a technical fault. The seven operators on board had fled the seen at the time of the arrest.

The suspects were handed over to the Beruwela police and are conducting further investigations in combination with the CID.