Travel ban imposed on Captain of fire-stricken super tanker

By A.J.A. Abeynayake

Colombo Chief Magistrate Mohamed Mihar imposed a travel ban on the Captain of the oil tanker ‘MT New Diamond’, Greek national Sterio Ilias yesterday.

The Captain of the fire-stricken oil tanker ‘MT New Diamond’, which caught fire off the East coast received the order when he was produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, yesterday.

The Attorney General requested the Colombo Chief Magistrate to remand the Captain under provisions of the Prevention of Marine Pollution Act of 2008.

During yesterday’s hearing, Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, requested the court to remand the captain of the vessel, citing concerns that the Greek national might abscond.

The judge put off the decision pertaining to the request till 2pm yesterday.

Later the judge announced the imposition of the travel ban.

On September 17, Colombo Additional Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage issued a notice to the Greek Captain to appear before the court yesterday considering a request made by DSG Dileepa Peiris.

The Attorney General instructed the CID to name the Captain as a suspect involved in committing offences under the Prevention of Marine Pollution Act No. 35 of 2008.

The Panamanian flagged tanker was carrying 270,000 tonnes of crude and 1,700 tonnes of diesel to Paradip port in India from the port of Mina Al Ahmadi in Kuwait when the fire erupted in the engine room on Sept 03 morning in the deep sea about 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point in Ampara.

One member of the ship’s crew was killed and another seriously injured crew member was rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy. Another three Greek and 16 Philippine crew members of the tanker were rescued by another merchant vessel plying nearby and safely brought ashore by the Navy.

The vessel is currently located in deep seas around 67 nautical miles away from the coast of Batticaloa.

Meanwhile, the owners of the Panamanian Crude Oil Tanker ‘MT New Diamond’ have agreed to fully settle, the compensation claim of government stakeholders amounting to Rs.442 million in costs incurred to douse the flame.