India rushes to aid SL in rescue of fisherman abducted by Somali pirates

Monday, 29 January 2024 00:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Sri Lanka Navy has announced that India has committed to aiding in the rescue of six Sri Lankan fishermen abducted by Somali pirates.

Speaking to the media, Sri Lanka Navy Spokesman Captain Gayan Wickramasuriya said the Indian Navy had already sent a warship to investigate, while the Sri Lanka Navy was also preparing a vessel to travel to the area.

The multiday fishing trawler identified as Lorenzo Putha-4, had departed from Dikowita port in Chilaw on 12 January and was hijacked in international waters north of Seychelles some 840 nautical miles southeast of the Somali capital Mogadishu, with six Sri Lankan fishermen believed to be on board.

Wickramasuriya said Sri Lanka has also alerted the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) regarding the incident and has sought their support to retrieve the boat and the fishermen. CMF is a multinational maritime partnership led by the US from Bahrain, the base for the US Navy Fifth Fleet. It has 39 members, including NATO and European states, regional countries and other nations.

Meanwhile commenting on the incident, State Minister of Fisheries Piyal Nishantha told the media that pirates had allowed the fishermen captured to communicate with officials of the Ministry of Fisheries.

The Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director General Susantha Kahawatta assured that all possible measures are being taken to secure the safe return of the fishermen.