An Indian fishing vessel with 11 crew members met with an accident in Sri Lankan waters, prompting a rescue operation by the Sri Lanka Navy, according to an official statement on Thursday. The navy said the trawler had reportedly crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line into Sri Lankan waters and was allegedly engaged in bottom trawling before the accident.
The vessel ran aground on a coastal reef off Delft Island, also known as Neduntheevu, in the Palk Strait off the northern coast of mainland Sri Lanka. The Sri Lanka Navy said the incident took place on Wednesday and that the fishermen were not in immediate danger.
Sri Lankan Navy media spokesman Commander Chaminda Walakuluge said the Indian vessel was involved in illegal fishing activities in Sri Lankan waters when it met with the accident. “Due to the impact of grounding on the reef, the trawler has sustained partial structural damage,” the Sri Lanka Navy said in the statement.
However, the navy added that the situation had not reached a critical stage and that the fishermen were not in immediate danger. It said rescue units had been sent to assist the Indian fishermen. “Subsequent action about the incident is presently being pursued in conformity with the relevant legal procedures,” the statement added.
The fishermen issue remains a contentious one in ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Sri Lankan Navy personnel accused in several incidents of firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats over alleged entry into Sri Lankan territorial waters. The Palk Strait, a narrow stretch of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries. Fishermen from both sides are frequently arrested for inadvertently crossing into each other’s waters.
In sum, the incident involved an Indian trawler with 11 crew members that ran aground in Sri Lankan waters, suffered partial damage, and triggered a rescue response, while legal procedures related to the case are under way.
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