Captain Ali relief aid being cleared

Customs authorities have begun clearing the goods of the controversial relief aid ship, Captain Ali, after the original documents regarding the details of the goods were sent to the Sri Lanka Red Cross by the Indian Red Cross.

Red Cross official Surein Peiris said food and medical items weighing more than 680 tons in 27 containers were being cleared and the Red Cross hoped to send the goods to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Vavuniya by the end of this week after the Health Ministry and the Sri Lanka Standards Institute checked the quality of the goods.