Following the death of a sailor on board the locally-owned ship ‘Seruwila’ while sailing from Hambantota Harbour to the South Indian port of Kochin last week, the vessel was detained in that country for failure to adhere to international safety guides and related maritime requirements, officials said.
The ship was detained after local officers boarded the vessel for inspection during the ‘Week Of Action’ that was held in Sri Lanka and India between November 22 to 26, an ITF representative in Colombo, Ranjan Perera said.
He said port officials had boarded the vessel to check on the equipment and to ascertain if the ship owned by S. K. R. Shipping, headquartered in Colombo, was found wanting in several categories. He said it would be detained till the shortcomings were rectified.
He added that the vessel and its crew were not registered with the ITWF based in London.
The ship’s owner Santha Gomes told the Sunday Times, that the vessel which had a cargo of timber from Myanmar would be released next week.
Commenting on the death of the seafarer on board the vessel on the night of November 18, Mr. Gomes said the victim’s family would be compensated according to international insurance policies.
Chief Electrical Engineer, Nimal Perera was reported missing and feared dead during a head count conducted on the vessel on November 19.
Investigators have so far failed to establish the circumstances surrounding his death since the body has not yet been found.
The ship was part of the celebrations on the occasion of the grand opening of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Port in Hambantota on November 18. |
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