Fisheries Ministry to bring Lankan fishermen back

The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource is taking steps to bring the remaining sixteen Sri Lankan fishermen in India along with four of their trawlers. The fishermen are residents of Gandara and Trincomalee.

“We have also taken steps to release six fishermen along with their multi-day-trawler taken hostage by Somali sea pirates,” a spokesman for the Ministry said.

“For that purpose we have contacted the Sri Lankan Embassy in South Africa through the External Affairs Ministry to release them,” he said.“The pirates are asking for a ransom of US$6 million dollar to release them according to the owner of the trawler,” he added.

Negotiations are still being conducted at embassy level and a letter had also been taken from the owner of the trawler by the Fisheries Ministry to go ahead with the negotiations. (Supun Dias)