Sri Lanka's Navy rescues 104 Myanmar refugees fleeing Bangladesh by boat

Sri Lanka’s Navy today rescued 104 Myanmar refugees (Rohingya refugees) reportedly fleeing from Bangladesh by boat and detected by local fishermen off the northern coastal area.

A large fishing boat was first spotted by a group of fishermen 18 nautical miles off Point Pedru and the Navy was informed on Saturday evening.

The vessel was guided closer to the Kankesanthurai harbour by last night.

The Navy following Defence Ministry approval on Sunday morning allowed those on boat to disembark and were moved into a camp.  Four persons who needed medical attention were moved to the Thellippalai hospital.

The persons rescued were in possession of an identification issued by the UNHCR and had claimed that they were fleeing from Bangladesh to Indonesia.  The fishing boat sustained an engine problem midsea and had started drifting, they claimed.

The Navy, Thellippalai Divisional Secretary office, police  and the UNHCR officials were having discussions about camping the persons. 

Police said that it would best to transfer them to a camp in Negombo where some of the refugees had been held earlier.

However, the KKS Police is due to produce those rescued to courts tomorrow morning.

Pix and Text by N.Lohathayalan