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Crewman killed as oil tanker fire rages for second day off Sri Lanka coast

Published

6 years ago

2020/09/6

Colombo (AFP)

A Panamanian-registered oil tanker burned out of control for a second day off Sri Lanka on Friday as authorities confirmed a Filipino crew member was killed in an explosion and fears grew of a major new oil spill in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lankan navy and Indian coastguard vessels fired water cannon at the blaze on the New Diamond, which issued a distress call Thursday after its engine room exploded.

A Sri Lankan helicopter was dropping water from the air on the blaze at the rear of the vessel.

The fire had not spread to the 270,000 tonnes of crude and 1,700 tonnes of diesel the tanker is carrying, Sri Lanka’s navy said.

“Preliminary information from the ship’s crew confirmed that a Filipino seaman on board had died in a boiler explosion,” the navy said in a statement.

All but one of the 23-member crew — 18 Filipinos and five Greek nationals — were rescued on Thursday.

The ship’s third officer, also a Filipino, had suffered burn injuries and was taken to the Kalmunai hospital, 360 kilometres (225 miles) east of the capital Colombo. His condition was stable, the navy spokesman said.

Neighbouring India has sent warships and coastguard vessels to help with the rescue, while Sri Lanka’s air force deployed a helicopter to douse the flames.

The tanker was about 60 kilometres (38 miles) from Sri Lanka’s east coast when it sounded the alert and during the night drifted 10 kilometres closer.

Sri Lanka’s navy said it believed there was no immediate danger to the coastline but remained concerned about the possibility of oil leaking.

The New Diamond is classified as a very large crude carrier (VLCC), and is about 330 metres (1,080 feet) long.

The stricken vessel is a third larger than the Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio, which crashed into a reef in Mauritius last month leaking over 1,000 tonnes of oil into the island nation’s picturesque waters.

The New Diamond had been taking the crude from Kuwait to the Indian port of Paradip.

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Members of Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Officially Appointed

Published

3 mins ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:

Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage

The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.

The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.

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Three prison guards arrested following the death of an inmate

Published

44 mins ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

(File pic)

Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).

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CJ urged to inquire into AKD’s remarks on May 25 court verdict

Published

5 hours ago

2026/05/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

CJ Surasena

‘Bar Association must reveal its stand’

Civil society group ‘Free Lawyers’ has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to probe whether political pressure was brought on a Magistrate, or a High Court Judge, in respect of an ongoing high profile case.

Speaking to The Island on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that they felt the urgent need to seek the CJ’s intervention, following the May Day declaration by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the verdict of a case that was heard on 30 April would be given on 25 May. Tennakoon said that addressing the NPP’s main May Day rally at Maharagama, the President asked the people to be ready to celebrate that verdict. The President couldn’t have said so if he hadn’t been aware of the impending verdict, Tennakoon said, while emphasising the responsibility on the part of the Bar Association to state its position on the issue.

‘Free Lawyers’ recently captured pubic attention following its exposure of the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.

Responding to a query, Tennakoon said that on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Maithri Gunaratne, PC, on Monday, 4 April, wrote to both CJ Surasena and President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya.

Alleging that President Dissanayake’s declaration caused immense harm to the independence of the judiciary and raised controversy over the judgement that would be given on 25 May, ‘Free Lawyers’ organisation also asked the CJ to inquire into whether the entire judicial process was under political pressure.

Tennakoon said that they expect the Bar Association to reveal its position on President Dissanayake’s statement. Tennakoon pointed out that during the May Day address, President Dissanayake made reference to 15 cases that were to be taken up during this month, whereas Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister, as well as Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, mentioned nearly 10 names of politicians, both sitting and former lawmakers, to be summoned beginning, May.

Tennakoon said that the NPP appeared to have used May Day to counter growing accusations over the Colombo port container controversy, coal scam, Rs 13.2 bn NDB fraud and theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury and USD 625,000 from the Sri Lanka Postal Service.

By Shamindra Ferdinando