Coast Guards rescues five Lankan fishermen

CHENNAI: A patrolling vessel of Indian Coast Guard on Friday rescued five Sri Lankan fishermen from a sinking trawler, Sittumina, off the Chennai coast.

The fishermen identified as A P A Dhanuskha, Ameri Sundeerva, D W Nuan, T H Sanath Darshan and Ruan Priyant, had sailed from Trincomalee in Sri Lanka on April 24 and their boat developed an engine failure. Acting on a distress alert sounded by Sri Lankan officials, Indian Coast Guard patrolling vessel Kittur Chennamma picked them inside Indian territorial waters.

Speaking to reporters at Chennai Port on Saturday, the fishermen thanked the Coast Guard for rescuing them. A decision on the mode of sending them back will be taken once the Joint Interrogation Committee meet on Monday, said a Sri Lankan High Commission official.