Indian fishers rescued by Lankan Navy

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Navy has rescued six distressed Indian fishermen who drifted into the country’s waters north of Talaimannar after their trawler suffered an engine failure, a statement said on Monday.

The rescued fishermen were provided humanitarian assistance and handed over to another Indian fishing trawler at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), Newsfirst Lanka news portal cited the Sri Lankan Navy Media Unit as saying in an official statement.

The Indian trawler that drifted in the island’s waters north of Talaimannar was on Sunday morning spotted by Sri Lankan Navy Ship Ranajaya while patrolling in the sea.

The Navy said the Indian fishermen’s trawler had swept towards Sri Lankan waters because of an engine failure.

The Navy then rescued the six Indian fishermen aboard the vessel and provided them food, drink, and other humanitarian assistance, the statement said.

SLNS Ranajaya then escorted the distressed Indian fishing trawler and the fishermen to the IMBL and handed them over to another Indian trawler, ensuring their safe return to their homeland.

The rescued fishermen were provided humanitarian assistance and handed over to another Indian fishing trawler.