Coast Guard ship enters Lankan waters to rescue Indian fishermen

Ramanathapuram, Jun 3 (UNI) For the second time in the Indian history, an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) warship today crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) to enter the Sri Lankan territorial waters to save five stranded Indian fishermen.

A senior ICG official of Mandapam Station said the ICG had received a communication from the Sri Lankan Navy that five Indian fishermen were found stranded near Dwelft Island, a territory considered as a stronghold of Sea Tigers, the naval wing of the banned LTTE.

The Sri Lankan Navy conveyed its inability to rescue the fishermen due to rough weather and sought the assistance of the ICG.

A ICG warship was pressed into service immediately and brought them to the Mandapam shore.

The fishermen were being interrogated by the Intelligence sleuths. Further details about the fishermen were not known immediately.

An ICG warship crossed the IMBL on March 27 to enter the Lankan waters for the first time with the consent of the island nation's government to rescue four Indian fishermen stranded in the Lankan waters after their boat was damaged.

UNI GSM SJ SP RAI2212