Coast Guard apprehends seven Sri Lankan boats

New Delhi, Dec 11 (ANI): The Indian Coast Guard Ship CGS Priyadarshini and CGS Sarang apprehended seven Sri Lankan fishing boats poaching in Indian waters.

According to the Defence Ministry, fishing trawlers were escorted to Vishakhapatnam naval base.

While on their way to the Vishkhapatnam, the two Coast Guard sailors positioned on a boat, Win Marine, were overpowered under knife attack, and the boat slipped away with the two coast guard sailors on board.

A combined search operation was thereafter launched by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. The Sri Lankan fishing vessel was relocated approximately 200 kilometres East of Chennai and the two coast guard sailors were rescued in a carefully measured operation by Indian Naval sailors.

The Indian Coast Guard sailors are safe and sound and there were no civilian casualties. The apprehended Sri Lankan fishing trawlers will now be handed over to police to initiate penal action as laid down in the Maritime Zones of India Act.

Instances of Sri Lankan fishermen trespassing through Indian waters have been on the rise in the recent past, and are a serious cause of concern.

Since January 2009 to till date the Coast Guard apprehended 123 boats along with 647 Sri Lankan fishermen. (ANI)