Another 35 Australia-bound illegal migrants held in Panadura

Sri Lanka Navy intercepted a local multiday fishing trawler with 35 men, women and children suspected to be on an illegal migration attempt to Australia via sea, were apprehended  during a search operation in the western seas of the island yesterday. 

The Navy said 25 males including five individuals who were behind this racket, four females and six children were taken into custody.

Further inspections revealed that the multi-day trawler had suffered a mechanical failure in its engine and the vessel was not suitable for long voyages.

The suspects, residents of Trincomalee, Mannar, Batticaloa, Negombo, Kalpitiya and Nuwara Eliya areas, aged from 6 to 56 were handed over to the Colombo Harbour Police for onward legal proceedings.

Navy said that it has been continuously observing that dilapidated fishing vessels are being used for such dangerous marine voyages and they are not at all seaworthy.

 As such, the Navy warns the public that attempting to migrate using these vessels could pose a high risk to their lives.