India helps rescue Sri Lankan fishermen from distressed fishing trawler

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo at Navy Headquarters, in collaboration with MRCC Chennai, has coordinated the successful rescue of four fishermen from a distressed Sri Lankan fishing trawler. 

The fishermen, stranded approximately 447 nautical miles off Point Pedro on Sri Lanka’s east coast, were rescued by an Indian fishing trawler directed by MRCC Chennai, the navy said.

The local fishing trawler was reported to have left the Point Pedro Fisheries Harbour with 04 fishermen on 07 July 2024 for a fishing voyage. Meanwhile, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has alerted MRCC Colombo established at the Navy Headquarters to assist the crew members onboard as their fishing trawler was in distress.

In response, MRCC Colombo sought assistance from MRCC Chennai to rescue the stranded fishing trawler, according to Sri Lanka Navy.

Sri Lanka Navy said that after the successful rescue, the fishermen have been handed over to an Indian Coast Guard ship, while the MRCC Chennai informed its Colombo counterpart that the rescued fishermen were being transported to Chennai by the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday (21).