Somali Pirates capture another Lankan fishing vessel

A Sri Lankan multi-day fishing vessel with five crewmen on board has been captured by Somali pirates.

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry sources said the fishing vessel Ocean 4, which left Beruwala on 22 January and its crewmen were being held by the pirates.

The crew members have been identified as Chandra Pushpakumara Ranaweera, 53; Suhada Pushpakumara, 30; K. L. C. Samantha, 36; Sarath Ranjith Perera and Lakshama Perera.The seizure of this fishing vessel by the pirates was intimated to the Ministry of Fisheries by the 3 fishermen of fishing vessel Darshana 6 who were captured by the Somali pirates about a month ago and were released later.  The two fishermen of the vessel Darshana 6 had been killed by the pirates and thrown into the sea.  

The remaining 3 fishermen are now sailing towards Sri Lanka and it was reported that they passed the sea territory of Madagascar yesterday.