Foreign Ministry tells international agencies:

Ensure safe seas for Sri Lankan sailors

by Shanika Sriyananda

The Foreign Ministry has called upon international agencies including the United Nations to help Sri Lankans to have secure seas for commercial navigation. Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told the Sunday Observer that Sri Lankan sailors had fallen into the hands of sea pirates on five occasions and he has already informed the UN about the need of having secure seas for Sri Lankan sailors.

Demanding a ransom of $ 20 million, the Somali pirates had seized the Al Nisr Al Saudi vessel of 5,136 tonnes in the Gulf of Aden with its Greek captain and 13 Sri Lankan sailors while on her way to Jeddah from Japan after unloading crude oil.

He said that he had communicated with the South African authorities through the Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Nairobi to seek the early release of 13 sailors who are now in Garacad, the pirate’s stronghold in the Somali coast.

“We will continue with our efforts to release them early”, Minister Bogollagama said adding that the diplomatic measures taken by the Ministry had helped secure the release of the three Sri Lankan sailors of the UAE’s Ro-Ro cargo ship, who were in Somali custody since September 2009.

The Minister also said that the Somali pirates through the Consulate in Jeddah confirmed that 13 Sri Lankan sailors were in safe hands. “They said that they did not harm them. However, the Consulate in Jeddhah is also in touch with the shipping company of the hijacked vessel and discussions are under way to release the sailors soon”, he said.

Meanwhile, the European Union’s Anti-Piracy naval mission spokesman told the Arab News that the EU naval force Atlanta was monitoring the situation.

With the increasing threat of hijacking commercial ships, the EU had launched the Atlanta mission together with the US to secure the vital shipping route and safeguard the ships from Somali pirates.

According to the EU Naval Force, over six ships and 132 sailors, including the 13 Sri Lankan sailors and Greek Captain, are now in the custody of the Somali pirates.