News

Missing seafarer’s family awarded Rs. 10m

No payment since April for 13 Sri Lankan sailors held captive by Somali pirates
By Leon Berenger

The family of a Sri Lankan seafarer who went missing without trace since June this year, and presumed dead, received Rs. 10 million as compensation from the maritime insurance agency on Friday this week.

The money was handed over to the victim’s father, S. Perera by Labour Minister Gamini Lokuge and the President of the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS) Palitha Athukorale. Twenty four year-year-old Able Seaman, S.A.S. Perera went missing shortly after the Israeli-flagged vessel Shim Shicko left Colombo for the Israeli port of Haifa on June 22 this year.

Labour Minister Gamini Lokuge presenting the award of Rs 10 million to the missing seafarer’s father S. Perera. President- National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka, Palitha Athukorale was also present.

His whereabouts is yet to be established. At first, the captain of the vessel had informed Colombo that the man was missing, but later said that he had committed suicide, in an apparent bid to reduce the compensation payment, Athukorale said.

However, the NUSS pressed on with the case and was able to secure a compensation payment of US$ 90,000 or LKR 10 million, he added. Meanwhile, families of the 13 Sri Lankan sailors held captive by Somali pirates for the past eight months are yet to receive any wages since April this year.

Mareena Soysa, whose husband is among the 13 the captives, said that the last payment she received from the ship’s company was in April. “Since then there has been total silence”, she told The Sunday Times.

“Repeated representations to the External Affairs Ministry, to help out in this regard, have had no affect whatsoever,” she added.

A senior official of the External Affairs Ministry conceded that the wages had not been paid since April this year, but added that there was very little Colombo could do at this end, since communication with the other party was poor.

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
 
Other News Articles
BOI hangs in balance till Budget
Billboards to come under Defence Ministry
Mega sideshow rocks reality show finale
Prince Charles pleads for Rizana
Will it be a case of the camel and the tent
SMS alert at Korean exam
Payment row lands Chinese worker in hospital
India’s Foreign Minister coming for 3-day visit
Both Govt. and JVP invited to world youth festival
Defending public display of staff privacy -- ICRC right of reply
Full-scale, islandwide war on drugs mafia
Accused faints on hearing sentence
Now, a controversial History book at international school
UNP launches Graama Charika
Lankans arrested in Thailand
SL rep to Saudis: Extend visa over-stayers’ amnesty to illegal workers
New lease of life to Death Row inmates
May all creatures be protected in Lanka
Full Bench to hear Fonseka’s appeal
Tremors in Sumatra no threat to Lanka
Sri J’pura hospital in for major transfusion
Official bungling caused derailment
Doctors at pains over male nurses inside labour room
English for official purposes recommended in 2010 report
Missing seafarer’s family awarded Rs. 10m
Philanthropist comes to the rescue of Kalugala MMV
Karuwelagaswewa –Where elephants hold sway
NCPA cries foul, CIS sees no evil
Meeting the challenges of biodiversity loss
Strive for hearts and minds of vanquished
Fire at Norochcholai: Sabotage suspected
President calls for order on campuses
Colombo to get its own tower
Banning landmines in SL could pave the way to a greener nation

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2010 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution