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Another four-tunate Lankans return
View(s):A group of four Sri Lankan seafarers who were stranded on a fishing vessel in Panama for eight months, returned to the country this week, after their air fares were met by the local recruiting agents on the persuasion of a maritime union in Colombo.Palitha Athukorale-President of the National Union of Seafarers Sri Lanka (NUSS), said that, following extensive discussions with the local recruiting agents in Colombo, the men were finally brought down.
He added that the response and cooperation of the relevant authorities was poor, and this made matters even more difficult. Each seafarer had paid Rs 400,000 to their handlers for the passage to the vessel, which is owned by a Sri Lankan domiciled in Rome. “The owner had subsequently disowned the vessel- MV Sanikos- citing losses, forcing the crew to stay on board until they could find passage back home,” Mr Athukorale said.
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