Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Oman, M.K. Padmanathan, has requested the government of Yemen to assist in the freeing of 26 sailors, including nine Sri Lankans, from the clutches of Yemeni pirates.
The sailors are aboard the Greek vessel Fair Appollon, which is currently anchored at the Port of Hodeidah in Yemen.
The sailors were taken hostage nearly two months ago.
Director General of Merchant Shipping, Ajith Seneviratne, said that the vessel had been taken into the custody of the Yemeni government.
Seneviratne said that the Sri Lankan representative of the owning company of the ship had been summoned, and discussions held, regarding the Sri Lankan hostages being freed.
However, the Sri Lankan representative for the International Transport Workers’ Federation, Ranjan Perera, said that the Sri Lankan government is not doing enough to free the sailors.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan sailors trapped aboard the ship, in a phone call to News 1st said that they have been held captive by Yemeni pirates for a period of two months, and are facing a number of issues including the lack of food and water.
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