Over 150 Lankan migrants repatriated from Vietnam arrive at BIA

One hundred and fifty two (152) Sri Lankan illegal migrants arrived in the country this morning via a chartered flight from Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. 

They were among the 302 illegal migrants rescued when their boat capsized off the coast of Viet Nam on November 8. Since rescuing the migrants were accommodated in three different Viet Nam military accommodation facilities situated in the city of Vung Tau.

Deputy Controller (Visa) and Spokesperson to the Department of Immigration, H.Kumarasinghe said, among the returnees 143 were males and nine females. 

She said the 152 migrants arrived in a special FitsAir flight early hours today. The group has been taken into the custody of the Human Trafficking and Maritime Crimes Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and are currently being questioned at the airport premises. 

Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Missions in the Philippines, Singapore and Viet Nam, together with the regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCC) based in Singapore, coordinated rescue efforts, when the boat with migrants heading to Australia illegally capsized off the coast of Viet Nam last month.  

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs here and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated the voluntary humanitarian return of the 152 migrants. 

“Addressing the issue of irregular migration requires a multi-agency effort and IOM records its appreciation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for facilitating the return process and considers this to be a good example of teamwork involving the Governments of Sri Lanka and Viet Nam, the Sri Lanka Embassy in Ha Noi and IOM missions in Colombo, Ha Noi and Ghana,” said Sarat Dash, Chief of Mission to IOM Sri Lanka and Maldives.

The IOM thanked the Government of Viet Nam for offering a place of safety for over a month and assisting 302 vulnerable Sri Lankan migrants rescued at sea while repatriation work was being coordinated from Sri Lanka’s end.