Total of 04 bodies recovered following mid-sea collision

Colombo (News 1st); Sri Lanka Navy said it recovered 04 bodies of Indian fishermen so far, following an incident where an Indian fishing boat collided with a Sri Lanka Navy Fast Attack Craft in the northern seas earlier this week. The bodies are currently placed at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Sri Lanka Navy launched a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation in search of a sunken Indian fishing boat and its fishermen, in Sri Lankan waters about 8 nautical miles (15 km) within the IMBL northwest of Delft Island, following a resisting arrest incident that took place on 18th January 2021. SLN units on patrol carried out an operation to seize Indian fishing trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters trespassing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), after observing more than 50 trawlers. As the operation was panning out, one of the Indian fishing trawlers, with aggressive maneuvers resisting the arrest, was in an attempt to evade from the scene making it collide with SLN Craft in operation and ultimately sank at sea having lost its stability. The collision also led causing of damages to the SLN Fast Attack Craft which was subsequently brought to Kankesanthurai harbor safely for repair work. Following the incident, Sri Lanka Navy commenced a search and rescue operation in search of the fishers on the sunken trawler and the operation is being augmented by a diving team as well as SLN ships and craft, in the sea area where the incident occurred. According to Indian media reports, among the dead is a Sri Lanka who fled to Indian 2009 as a person displaced by the war. Indian fishermen staged a protest against the incident in Thangachchi Madam in Tamil Nadu on Thursday (21) demanding the bodies be moved to Indian for an autopsy and for families to be compensated. Indian fishermen allege their four colleagues were killed in an attack by the Sri Lanka Navy. However, Captain Indika De Silva the spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Navy dismissed those claims adding Indian fishermen have a right to protest, but Sri Lanka Navy is bound to protect her territorial waters.