On Sunday, July 31, a Sri Lankan-flagged fishing boat was docked at the harbor in Reunion with six people on board. Reunion officials were on high alert since this morning.
A Sri Lankan fishing boat docked at Port de la Pointe des Galettes shortly before 4pm on Sunday 31st July.
The Sri Lankan fishing boat arrived in Reunion on Sunday 31st July
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According to our information, six people were on board. There will be no wife or children. The boat arrived at the harbor escorted by two semi-rigid marine gendarmerie. He had difficulty maneuvering the dock.
Once at the pier, passengers disembarked. At the site, the national police were deployed in large numbers, but volunteers from the customs services and the Red Cross could help with translation. The staff of “Médecins du Monde” examined all six. Sanitation works are in progress.
The Sri Lankan fishing boat arrived in Reunion on Sunday 31st July
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According to a local association, these sailors intend to file an asylum application. Two lawyers are on site. They may be held in a waiting area or administrative detention this evening.
The Sri Lankan fishing boat arrived in Reunion on Sunday 31st July
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Still in the morning several nautical miles off Pointe du Gouffre a twenty meter boat was closely watched by maritime authorities. The boat entered the harbor around 2 pm.
Reunion Province and GRASS (Regional Operations Center for Monitoring and Rescue) remained on alert since this morning.
The Sri Lankan fishing boat arrived in Reunion on Sunday 31st July
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As of now, there are no details about the boat’s journey and days spent at sea.
In 2018, Sri Lankan migrants arrived in Reunion on makeshift boats, hoping for a better life. They fled the political instability of their country.
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