COLOMBO, Aug 6: The Sri Lanka Navy on Thursday launched a rescue operation after an Indian fishing vessel carrying 11 crew members ran aground on a reef in Sri Lankan waters, officials said.
According to the Sri Lanka Navy, the trawler had allegedly crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) into Sri Lankan waters and was engaged in bottom trawling when it met with the accident.
The vessel ran aground on a coastal reef near Delft Island (Neduntheevu) in the Palk Strait off the northern coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka Navy spokesperson Commander Chaminda Walakuluge said the fishing boat sustained partial structural damage after striking the reef. However, the condition of the vessel was not considered critical, and all 11 crew members were reported to be safe and not in immediate danger.
The Navy said rescue teams were promptly dispatched to assist the stranded fishermen, while further action is being taken in accordance with applicable legal procedures.
The incident comes against the backdrop of the long-standing fishermen’s dispute between India and Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan authorities have frequently accused Indian fishermen of crossing into their territorial waters and engaging in illegal fishing practices, including bottom trawling, while Indian fishermen have often complained of arrests, boat seizures and, in some cases, firing by the Sri Lankan Navy.
The Palk Strait, which separates Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, remains one of the region’s richest fishing grounds and has been a recurring flashpoint, with fishermen from both countries often detained for allegedly crossing the maritime boundary.
