Two Straying Indian Fishing Trawlers being handed over to Indian Authorities

(August 11, Marnnar, Sri Lanka Guardian) Sri Lanka Navy has made arrangement to hand over two Indian Fishing Trawlers, which were apprehended while poaching in Sri Lankan waters, to the Indian authorities.

Sri Lanka Navy’s patrol craft had detected two suspicious vessels in the seas off Mullaithivu on the 09th August around 0930 hrs. Vigilant naval personnel had carried out a thorough search on suspicion and had found two GPSs (Global Positioning Systems), two echo sounders and two mobile phones on board. The two Indian fishing trawlers bearing the registration numbers TN/06/MFB/44 and TN/06/MFB/886 had a five-member Indian fishermen crew in each vessel.

Sri Lanka Navy, as a gesture of goodwill, has made arrangement with the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, to repatriate the ten Indian fishermen along with the two vessels.

Sri Lanka Navy, while effectively countering the terrorists’ sea-borne threats, exercises maximum precaution not to let the straying Indian fishermen and their fishing vessels be caught in the crossfire when the LTTE terrorists are targeted and dealt with.

Sri Lanka Navy renders assistance whenever Indian fishermen are in distress in the Sri Lanka waters. Many Indian fishermen have expressed their gratitude to the Sri Lanka Navy for treating them humanely and for its efforts of expediting the legal formalities involved in the process of their repatriation.
- Sri Lanka Guardian