59 Sri Lankan fishermen exchanged for 71 Indian fishermen

 

Chennai:

Seventy one Indian fishermen who were released from Sri Lankan prison are sailing back to India on Indian Coastguard ship Samudra Pahredar.

The fishermen were exchanged for 59 Sri Lankan fishermen and four fishing boats on Friday at the India-Sri Lanka International Maritime Bounday Line.

The repatriation happened at 1130 hours, a coastguard release stated. Fifteen Indian fishing boats were also released.

Indian Coastguard ship Samudra Paheredar initially took over 78 Sri Lankan fishermen from the local police and sailed out from Chennai on Tuesday. However, 19 disembarked on request of the state government for taking over their 10 fishing boats in tuticorin, a Coast Guard spokesman said. Now 59 Sri Lankan fishermen have been handed them over to Sri Lankan naval ship at the IMBL. The other 19 will be repatriated soon, a Coast guard official said.

Subsequently, the ship also took over 71 Indian fishermen along with 15 boats from the Sri Lankan naval ship and will hand them over to the local fisheries authority on arrival at Karaikal.

The Indian Coast Guard region (east) has so far repatriated 15 Indian fishing boats with 122 crew and four Sri Lankan fishing boats with 111 crew in the current year. Last year, it had repatriated 23 Sri Lankan fishing boats with 124 crew and 38 Indian fishing boats with 391 crew.