A source from the Government Analyst’s (GA) Department has said that a database error related to the MV X-Press Pearl disaster will not affect ongoing investigations. 

However, the source refused to provide further information regarding the ongoing case, citing the fact that it could affect the case currently pending in court.

Recently, Attorney General’s Department Deputy Solicitor General Madhawa Tennakoon, representing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), reportedly informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Keminda Perera that recovering the deleted emails would cost Rs. 121 million and take over three months. 

Tennakoon had previously stated that the deleted data was stored in the Digital Laboratory of the GA’s Department but was inaccessible due to a technical error allegedly preventing the retrieval of key emails.

The court was informed that several emails exchanged between the container vessel X-Press Pearl, the Colombo Port, and the vessel’s local agent had been deleted. These emails, sent between 10 and 21 May 2021, were deemed critical to the investigation into the fire that broke out on the ship on 20 May 2021.

In earlier proceedings, Tennakoon alleged that the database containing the emails had been accessed multiple times, with data deleted or altered to conceal facts regarding the vessel’s entry into the Colombo Port.

After hearing arguments from both sides, Additional Magistrate Perera had ruled that the suspects’ counsels could represent them in future hearings unless specifically summoned to appear in person. 

The complaint related to the deletion of email data in the X-Press Pearl case is scheduled to be called again on 29 April 2025.