Asylum seekers turn pirates and attack crew off Sri Lanka
October 18, 2012 08:44 am
A group of asylum seekers intent on travelling to Australia turned pirate and took over a fishing vessel off Sri Lanka - apparently attacking crew members.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Australia, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, said a badly injured survivor from the boat had been rescued by the Sri Lanka Navy and taken to hospital.
The injured man was led off a Navy vessel with a large bandage around his stomach area and wearing a neck brace after apparently being attacked.
The group of about 10 asylum seekers, including a woman, used a small boat to reach the fishing vessel when they set upon the crew and took control of the vessel, according to reports from Sri Lanka.
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The gang are believed to have attacked the fishing boat’s crew with swords and are now believed to be still on the way to Australia.
There are conflicting reports about the fate of the three other fishermen on the boat that was boarded.
Two merchant vessels came to the aid of the members of the crew who opted to jump from the ship.
Earlier Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe said three of the crew had been killed. (TheAustralian)
