After 57 days of voyage MV Captain Ali docked at Chennai port (GPS: 13 05.5n 80 17.7e) today at 19.25, Indian time. The Indian authorities permitted Captain Ali to enter the port today evening.
Mr. G. Subramanian, Executive Director, Manitham-Human Rights Organisation is looking after the interest of 'Mercy Mission' in India.
The Indian Red Cross and Manitham-Human Rights Organisation will now take over the cargo and arrange to send it to Sri Lanka. The cargo will be initially unloaded to a warehouse and then the aid consignment will be send through another ship to Sri Lanka. All loading and shipment will be done under the guidance of Indian Red Cross Society.
In an exclusive interview to Tamil National, Arjunan Ethirveerasingam of ‘Mercy Mission’ said that they decided to send the cargo through an Indian vessel under the Indian Red Cross flag to avoid any further politicisation of the humanitarian aid.
The Sri Lankan businessman Athmanathan, who had been contracted by Mercy Mission as the clearing agent in Sri Lanka for the cargo was arrested by CID on 4th June and still in police custody.
