Legal action against X-Press Pearl disaster officers

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Attorney General on Wednesday (18) told Colombo Additional Magistrate Lochani Abeywickrama that indictments will be filed with the Colombo High Court against all the accused, responsible for the destruction caused to Sri Lanka's marine environment following the X-Press Pearl Disaster.

Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama appearing for the Attorney General said the insurmountable damage was caused to the public, fishing community, and marine life after fuel and chemicals contaminated Sri Lankan waters following the blaze onboard the, now wrecked X-Press Pearl container ship.

Legal action will be instituted immediately after the reports of the Government Analyst's Department and the Criminal Investigations Department are made available.

Senior State Counsel Lakmini Girihagama added that experts are calculating the damage caused to marine life and the marine environment following the disaster.

She further noted that insurmountable damage was caused to Sri Lankan waters after thousands of tons of urea fertilizer, that was being transported, contaminated the ocean.

In addition, investigations have revealed that the radio messages between the SLPA Control Center, X-Press Pearl, and other vessels during the 35-days of the disaster, were not recorded.

The Senior State Counsel pointed out that the Government Analyst had confirmed that a technical issue in the MVMS device at the SLPA Control Center, as a reason for radio messages not being recorded.

Investigations have also revealed that the power supply to the device was properly connected between May 03rd, 2021 & 08th June 2021.

She added that the Government Analyst is conducting a separate independent investigation to determine if it was an act of sabotage.

The case will be called up again on the 06th of September.

The Additional Magistrate ordered to repatriate the remaining c10 crew members immediately, to their respective countries.