by Norman Palihawadana
One body has been recovered from a trawler carrying illegal immigrants bound for Italy which capsized in the high seas off the shores of Devundara on Saturday, Matara police said.

The body is lying at Matara district hospital.

Police said that investigations so far had revealed that fishermen in another fishing boat named "Tharanga" had detected several persons swimming in the seas and 75 of them were saved by them. These persons had travelled in the trawler which had capsized due to it hitting a rock in the high seas. But the 75 persons saved had escaped on being brought to Devundara beach.

It is believed that over 100 persons would have travelled in this capsized boat.

Divers of the Police and the Navy are searching the seas in the area to recover more bodies.

It is suspected that this trawler may have arrived in Devundara from Negombo, police sources said.

Further investigations are being carried out by Matara police.