Seychelles Investigation into Burnt Out & Abandoned Taiwanese Fishing Vessel Concluded
Source: Seychelles Police Communique
THE Seychelles Police and Seychelles Fire and Rescue Agency have concluded their investigation in the case of Taiwanese fishing vessel Chun Ying which reportedly caught fire outside Seychelles EEZ on the 20 June this year revealed that human ashes were identified onboard the burnt vessel.
The ashes are suspected to be that of the chief officer whom the crew members said had "turned mad, locked himself up and set fire to his cabin," a fire which the crew said got out of control leading the captain to order everyone to abandon the vessel.
It should be remembered that among 31 crew members, including the Captain, only 14 were found and rescued 6 days later by Chun Ying 777, another Taiwanese fishing vessel, which was alerted by their office to try and locate their counterpart.
Alerted by a Chinese warship, on the 8th day after the fire incident, Chun Ying 777 found two bodies tied to a damaged life raft. According the 14 survivors, there were supposed to be 16 of their colleagues, including their Captain on that raft, which meant that 14 had disappeared into the sea.
The investigation also concluded that the life raft was in no condition to be used on the high seas.
The two bodies were identified as Sri Lankan security officers Fernando Mandadige Wasantha Roshon PRIYANJNA and Ikshan NOVARI. Their cause of dead was hypovolemic shock, sun burns and dehydration.
Apart from the Police and Fire and Rescue Services, a Taiwanese Liaison Officer based in South Africa also contributed towards the investigation.
Registered in Taiwan with Allied Agency as handling Agent in Seychelles, Chun Ying was towed out of Seychelles yesterday Tuesday.