Coastal security beefed up to prevent entry of migrants due to COVID-19 threat

11 April 2020 02:58 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 12 Bookmark

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The Sri Lanka Navy has taken pertinent measures to tighten the security around the county to prevent persons from other countries from fleeing to Sri Lanka due to the rapid rise of COVID-19 cases in those countries, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva said.

The Commander said there was a high possibility of persons to flee to Sri Lanka from South India amid the coronavirus outbreak in India.

“Accordingly, the Navy has increased patrols and monitoring along the coastal belt of the island with paying special attention to the Northern, North-Western, Eastern, Western and North Eastern sea areas,” he said.

The Navy Commander said the Indian authorities had also been informed to tighten their borders to prevent migrants from crossing the international maritime boundary to Sri Lanka.

“If a vessel carrying migrants entered Sri Lankan waters, the vessel will be sent back to its point of origin," the Navy Commander highlighted.

“The local fishermen and relevant authorities have been instructed to be on alert of any suspicious vessels at sea and to inform the Navy when such a vessel is detected," he added.

Moreover, he said the Sri Lanka Air Force had too increased its maritime observation capacity to assist in the process.