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.
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| 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. |
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