 Some of the estimated 490 suspected Tamil migrants aboard the ship MV Sun Sea peer out from underneath a tarp after Canadian Border officials and police brought the ship into Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt in Colwood, B.C. on Vancouver Island on August 13. Authorities intercepted and boarded the ship after it entered Canadian waters. (REUTERS/Andy Clark)
|
ESQUIMALT, B.C. -- Federal authorities are investigating whether migrant smugglers who successfully landed almost 500 Tamil refugees here had help from inside Canada.
In an interview with QMI Agency, Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said Saturday that it might be wrong to suggest all the key organizers are overseas.
"I wouldn't rule it out," Toews said when asked about a Canadian connection to the smuggling operation.
"It was a sophisticated operation ‹ not like 500 people caught a tramp-steamer," he said of the MV Sun Sea's voyage.
If passengers paid for the three-month-long trip, the funds may have already been funneled back into a criminal enterprise, he said.
Toews is aware many Canadians are angry about the situation.
Details of how prepared the ship was are beginning to emerge, and the trip is likely a test for more boats to come.
Toews said there was a well-built sanitation system on board the modified ship that was able to handle the waste of almost 500 people.
Other officials say the Canadians who initially boarded the vessel, which is now docked on a military jetty here, found it in better shape than expected.
The passengers were also fine: Early reports about TB and death on board have so far been proven wrong.
Health officials reported finding no serious ailments among the passengers, as they largely tended to minor ailments and two pregnancy check-ups.
"Most were in good health," said Rob Johnston, spokesman for the Canada Border Services Agency.
There was food, including rice and dried fish, and sleeping facilities ‹ largely made up of hammocks ‹ that separated men from women.
An estimated 50 children and 50 women were on board.
When the Canadians came on board, they were well received, and even laughed with the kids.
Johnston said the boat was crammed, and while no one would likely want to take such a long trip on it, the vessel was ³relatively clean and organized.²
RCMP Insp. Tracey Rook said none of the migrants were in distress.
"Clothing was in good condition and they had access to food and water during the trip," she noted, adding no weapons have yet been found.
What still hasn¹t been released is a final number of passengers.
Officials would only say 450 have been processed so far. Some have been escorted to detention centres in B.C. Officials would not say how many and it is not clear where the children on board will go.
