’’Lorenzo Putha 4’’ Skipper deceived Somalian pirates

By Ishu Bandara

They were in the International Sea when they heard gunfire around 10:30 in the morning on January 29, 2024 and then they saw five Somali pirates in a small boat.

After nearly five months of uncertainty and distress, the six-member crew of the ‘Lorenzo Putha 04’ trawler safely returned to Sri Lanka, landing at Dikkowita Fishery Harbour at approximately 4:30 PM on June 23, 2024. The crew's journey began on January 27 when they set sail from the same harbour, only to be hijacked by Somali pirates two days later in the Arabian Sea.

Captain Rajitha Dushan recounted their experience to the Sunday Times, revealing that the pirates’ aimed at hostage-taking and demanding ransom from the Sri Lankan government. The Pirates asked for about one million dollars, Captain Dushan disclosed, emphasizing that the pirates did not harm them physically despite having two T56 guns and one Pistol.

First, after the pirates boarded the trawler, they asked about the satellite phone and Dushan insisted that it was not there. They then demanded that the radio be shut down and forced them to move towards Somalia. Dushan , who led the crew shared their harrowing experience and said despite them forcing them to change the course towards Somalia, they used a magnet to alter the compass reading, directing it instead towards the Seychelles. The pirates were shown 300 degrees on the compass, but the truth was about 200 degrees, which is the direction of Seychelles. Then the pirates asked to show the satellite, and then Dushan pulled two wires and disconnected it and showed it.

For two and a half days, the crew endured the constant threat of the armed pirates while maintaining their deceptive course. They disabled the trawler’s satellite communication system to prevent the pirates from verifying their true location. Finally hearing the VMS alarm, Dushan realized that they were entering the Seychelles sea border. 

"The VMS alarm was fixed above my bed and there was no loud noise, I heard the alarm and confirmed that we had entered the Seychelles border, and I shared that information with our crew.” said Captain Dushan. 

They entered the Seychelles border around 10.00 am on January 31 and were successfully rescued by the Seychelles coast guard at around 1.00 pm.

During their stay in Seychelles they were fortunate enough to have enough food and other facilities, only the food “did not taste like home” according to the fishermen. While living on the trawler they had the opportunity to do some small jobs and earn a considerable amount of money to buy the goods they needed.

The Sri Lankan Government, Embassy and the owner of the trawler provided satisfactory support till their return to Sri Lanka. Mr Dushan, a resident of Kudamaduwella,Thoduwawa, Sri Lanka was lucky enough to carry his child for the first time with his own hands on June 23, five months after his birth. When he set sail on the trawler on January 27, his wife was expecting their second child.

However, the Seychelles government required a letter of guarantee from the Sri Lankan government to facilitate their return, a process that took nearly two and a half months.

 "I spent 750,000 rupees to bring them back, and Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda personally contributed 150,000 rupees for the fishermen stranded in the Seychelles”, Mr Milroy Perera, the owner of 'Lorenzo Son 04' echoed this sentiment despite the financial difficulties caused by the incident. His trawler, valued at 200 million rupees, was purchased with a loan, incurring a monthly interest of 435,000 rupees. He was pleading for a six-month grace period from the government, but his request was denied.

On June 23, they reunited with the families celebrated the crew's safe return, a poignant moment underscoring the resilience and bravery of these fishermen. Captain Dushan, now home in Kudamaduwella, Thoduwawa, expressed his relief and joy at being able to hold his newborn child after such a long ordeal.

Their story is a testament to the unyielding spirit of fishermen and their families, facing dangers at sea and enduring the long wait for a safe return. The ‘Lorenzo Putha 04’ and its crew's saga ended with relief and gratitude, marking a triumphant conclusion to a perilous chapter.