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Police after owner of ill-fated boat

by Bharatha Malawaraarachchi and Deepal Samarasekera

A special Police team was dispatched yesterday from Matara Police to Negombo to nab those involved in smuggling people on a boat which capsized in the sea near Devundara, Matara, killing five people on Sunday.

This special team together with the Negombo Police will launch a joint manhunt to track down the suspects, a Senior Police Official attached to the Matara Division told the Daily News yesterday.

In Sunday's tragedy, around 75-80 persons were rescued by fishermen. There had been over 100 people in the boat, which was heading for a Western European country. Those rescued had gone missing soon after being taken ashore.

Police have already established the identities of 86 persons who were in this boat. "We have pictures and other particulars of 86 persons rescued and will initiate an investigation on them soon," the official said.

It has also been revealed that this boat which ventured from the Devundara (Dondra Head) fishery harbour had crashed into a rock in mid-sea.

So far, investigations have revealed that the owner of this boat is a resident of Negombo. The empty boat had first come to Devundara while the suspected emigrants had come separately by road.

Police have already identified the deceased. The relatives of the deceased and injured persons had arrived at the Matara Hospital. Police will record statements from those being treated at the hospital.

It is believed that around Rs. 200,000 had been taken from each emigrant for this abortive journey. 

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