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Somali pirate saga:
Freed Lankan fishermen arrive to emotional welcome
Ridma DISSANAYAKE and Panduka SAMARASEKARA
The six Lankan fishermen held hostage by Somalian pirates for nearly
six months, returned to Sri Lanka yesterday morning.
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A mother weeps as she embraces her son who was held captive
by Somali pirates for six months, at the BIA yesterday
morning. Picture by Saman Sri Wedage |
The fishermen were rescued by the Spanish Navy.
They left Tanzania on Wednesday aboard an Emirates flight and arrived
at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake early yesterday.
These fishermen had left the Negombo fisheries harbour on September
27, 2011 and were kidnapped by the Somali pirates on October 29, 2011
along with their vessel. From that time the pirates had threatened
various parties including the Sri Lankan government and the vessel owner
demanding a Rs. 60 million ransom.
The pirates have also harassed these fishermen cruelly before finally
being overpowered and captured by the Spanish Navy. The Lankan fishermen
were dispatched to Tanzania on April 18.
The Sri Lankan government had taken measures to bring back the
fishermen with the support of the European Union (EU) and the United
Nations Association (UNA). They arrived at the Bandaranaike
International Airport yesterday morning to an emotional welcome by
relatives and loved ones.
The fishermen who underwent the ordeal are S.K. Weerasena, Dinesh
Susantha, Perumal Raja, Levan Rudrigoo, Shantha Sebastian and Jude
Nishanta.They spent six months in the custody of the Somalian pirates. |
