Lankans believed to be in 'suspicious ship'

Canadian Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan said Saturday night that Canadian security forces had intercepted and seized a suspicious vessel off British Columbia with 76 people aboard in what could be a case of human smuggling.

Speaking in Ottawa, Van Loan said early indications are the people aboard are from Sri Lanka, although that has not been confirmed. "Obviously, they are arriving in a non-conventional fashion so that raises concerns . . . of human smuggling." He said it was evident that the vessel was headed to Canada. An armed RCMP boarding party took control of the vessel late Friday afternoon in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and it was guided to a berth at Ogden Point in Victoria Saturday afternoon.

In preparation for the arrival at Ogden Point, authorities had draped tarpaulins over portions of the walkway along which the 76 people were expected to disembark. The Vancouver Sun