The xpress pearl was  brand new, the largest feeder ship of xpress feeder shipping lines, commissioned only in February, 2021. Their agent in Sri Lanka, is someone called Arjuna Hettiarachchi. He is an ex-Thomian,  someone who is also well connected to the  ruling royal family and the political circles of Sri Lanka. 

When the ship caught fire and was refused entry by Mumbai and Doha, among others, Hettiarachchi pulled a few strings and got it to come to Colombo despite  the objections of the harbourmasters. Hence the ship was in the shipping lanes, instead of far away in open sea. Hettiarachchi and the politicians did not want it in open sea when it caught fire, because then the compensation/insurance would be much less. Only when the fire became unmanageable, did they try to tow it out to open sea, but it was too late.

The ignorant Minister of Ports – Mr Rohitha Abeygunawardena was basically doing what he was ordered to do by his bosses in allowing it inside the sea lanes.

wonder if Hettiarachchi or any of those responsible, will ever be punished for this criminal act?

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