Sri Lankan stowaways discovered while passing Suez Canal

COLOMBO (News 1st); Four Sri Lankan men who boarded a vessel anchored at the Colombo Port to illegally travel as stowaways were discovered when the vessel was passing through the Suez Canal.

The men were handed over to Sri Lanka Police on Monday (10), and were remanded to the 18th of April by the Acting Magistrate of Galle Premaratne Thiranagama.

Four Sri Lankan men had secretly boarded a Liberian Flagged vessel that was anchored at the Colombo Port, on the 24th of March.

The vessel was heading to the United States of America, and the Sri Lankan stowaways were discovered when it was passing the Suez Canal.

The Sri Lankan men were dressed as part of the ship's crew, when they were discovered. 

Following their discovery, the men were handed over to another vessel that passing by and was heading to China, so that they can be handed over to Sri Lankan authorities.

The four men were handed over to Sri Lankan authorities in the seas of the Galle Harbour.

The men were identified as residents from Mullaithivu, Chunnakkam, Kytes, and Weliwtithurai.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration said that a special investigation was launched to determine how these men entered the Colombo Port, and the vessel.