High Commission in Nairobi assisted as asked by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka and saw to the welfare and safety of the Sri Lankan crew.
The out-of-court settlement reached between the Nigerian authorities and Idun Maritime Ltd., the vessel owner, enabled the High Court to end the detention of the vessel and dropping of the charges.
The vessel was detained along with 26 crew members, including 8 Sri Lankans. Sri Lanka will coordinate with the vessel owner regarding the repatriation of the Sri Lankan crew at the earliest, once the conditions are fulfilled by the shipping company, which will arrange the safe return of the crew.
The High Commission in Nairobi, which is concurrently accredited to Nigeria, offered support and ensured the welfare and safety of the Sri Lankan crew up until the conclusion of the legal process at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka. Veluppillai Kananathan, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Kenya, met with the Sri Lankan crew on November 13, 2022, in Lagos, Nigeria, and took the appropriate steps to secure their welfare and housing on board the ship rather than having them taken into custody.
High Commissioner Kananathan ensured payment of salaries and other entitlements to the Sri Lankans in full.
The High Commissioner was able to convince the shipping company to enhance the salaries of the Sri Lankan crew until their release. The High Commission worked jointly worked with the Indian High Commission in Abuja, as the crew also comprised 16 Indian nationals.