Bogollagama’s swift action finds one ship crew released, two others’ being monitored

The Foreign Ministry will continue to monitor the situations pertaining to ‘MV Al Nasr Al Saudi’ and ‘MV Talca’ and all necessary steps are being taken to expedite the release of the Sri Lankan crew members through the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry and our Missions abroad, said Foreign Minister Bogollagama in a statement.

He said when his attention was drawn to media reports on the hijacking of a cargo vessel ‘MV Talca’ along with twenty Sri Lankan nationals among a multinational crew on board by Somali pirates off the Oman coast on March 23, he immediately called for a report from the Sri Lanka Embassy in Oman since the incident had reportedly taken place off the Oman coast.

The Sri Lanka High Commission in Kenya, which has been liaising with the Somali authorities on a number of previous occasions when ships with Sri Lankan crew had been hijacked in the past by Somali pirates, has also been instructed to monitor the situation.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Minister said, is closely monitoring the developments pertaining to the hijacking of ‘MV Talca’, said to be Hamilton, Bermuda registered ship and owned by Arabian Reefers Ltd in the British Virgin Islands. “Since both are British overseas territories, I have also directed our High Commission in London to establish contacts with the British authorities with a view to persuade the company which owns this vessel to expedite the negotiation process and ensure the safety and wellbeing of the Sri Lankan crew on aboard this vessel. The Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry is also in contact with the local agent, ALF Shipping (Pvt) Ltd, in order to extend any necessary assistance to the family members of the crew members on board this hijacked cargo vessel.”

He also said he was happy that the three Sri Lankan crew members from ‘MV Ro Ro Laila’ a ship which was detained in Somalia for sometime have been repatriated to Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, negotiations are underway to secure the release of crew members of a Saudi Arabian vessel ‘MV Al Nasr Al Saudi’ which was hijacked by pirates along the Yemeni coast and then moved to the Somalia coast on March 1, 2010. This vessel sailed with fourteen crew members which included a Greek national who was the captain while the remaining 13 member crew consisted of Sri Lankan nationals.

Bogollagama said as soon as he came to know about the hijacking, he immediately called for a report from the Sri Lanka Embassy in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah and requested the Missions to obtain all details pertaining to the crew members and extend all possible assistance to ensure their welfare and expedite their release.

The Sri Lanka Embassy in Riyadh took prompt action and contacted the Saudi Navel authorities and other connected organizations while our Consul General in Jeddah is continuing to hold meetings with the General Manager of the company which owns this ship. The local representative in Sri Lanka for this vessel, M/S. Viththy Marine in Colombo has also been appraised of the actions being taken by the shipping company to secure the release of the crew, he added.

The Consulate in Jeddah was also informed that the shipping company continues to have contacts with the pirates through satellite communication and that the pirates have assured the shipping company that the crew, including the Sri Lankan nationals on board, are in good health.

Following the company handing over the salary dues of the Sri Lankan crew members for the past two months to our Consulate in Jeddah to be sent to their families in Sri Lanka, “I have directed the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry to make the necessary arrangements to make this payment to the families of these crew members promptly,” he said.

- Asian Tribune –