The government yesterday said that 29 Indian poachers, rescued by the SLN, after their trawlers ran aground or were damaged due to rough weather, would be repatriated soon after the weather improved.
An authoritative official told The Island that of the seven trawlers rescued by the SLN, six had fish and all of them were poaching in Sri Lankan waters. The official said that some of those troublemakers in Tamil Nadu had been protesting against the SLN for allegedly detaining fishermen, whereas fishermen in distress were rescued by SLN units.
Meanwhile, the Indian HC, in a statement issued yesterday. quoted the Official Spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs as having said in response to a question regarding Indian fishermen currently stranded in Sri Lanka due to adverse weather conditions: "Due to adverse weather conditions presently obtaining in the Palk Straits and the Gulf of Mannar, seven fishing trawlers with 29 Indian fishermen
which had set off from Tamil Nadu had run aground or got damaged in Sri Lankan waters and have been rescued by the Sri Lankan Navy. Our High Commission in Colombo and the Consulate General in Jaffna have worked closely with the concerned local authorities to secure their immediate release and welfare. The fishermen are presently in Jaffna in an accommodation leased for this purpose by the Consulate, which has also arranged food, clothing, medical attention and other basic amenities for them.""The concerned authorities of the Government of Sri Lanka have agreed to provide their full cooperation in ensuring the repatriation of the fishermen to India as soon as weather conditions improve. Efforts are also being made for salvage boats from India to travel to Sri Lanka to repair the damaged boats and bring them back, if possible."
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