Sri Lankan fishermen captured by Somali pirates rescued

• Three Somali pirates arrested
• Lorenzo Putha 04’, is a newly built trawler with new equipment

By Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama  

The Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) had rescued six Sri Lankan fishermen who were captured by Somali pirates, along with their multi-day fishing trawler, Navy spokesman Captain Gayan Wickramasinghe said yesterday.   
The Sri Lanka Navy had informed the Combined Marine Corps -Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) regarding the incident.   

“We kept in continuous touch with the SCG, gave them the information they needed and coordinated with them. As a result of this coordination, the SCG conducted a special operation after informing us. After the operation, SCG officials managed to rescue the Sri Lankan multi-day fishing trawler ‘Lorenzo Putha 4’, including the six fishermen,” he said.   

The spokesman said the SCG managed to arrest three Somali pirates, and that they are taking them to the capital of Seychelles.   

Meanwhile, Director General of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department Susantha Kahawatta said, the ‘Lorenzo Putha 04’, the Sri Lankan multi-day fishing trawler is a newly built trawler with new equipment and on its first sailing experience. 

 
He said the trawler departed from the Dikkowita Fisheries Harbour on January 12, and the abduction occurred approximately 1,160 nautical miles away from the Sri Lankan coast.