Stranded fishermen to be rescued soon

Boat found in Indonesian waters:

Rasika Somarathna

Four Sri Lankan fishermen detected in the Indonesian waters Friday, after going missing since November 23, are expected to be rescued shortly. The boat Sankara Putha - 2 was found in Indonesian waters by a fisheries trawler belonging to Taiwan Friday. All four on board are reported to be safe and well.

A Fisheries Ministry official yesterday expressed confidence that the four would be rescued within the next 48 hours. He said that all relevant sectors including the Indonesian officials have been informed.

According to him the four fishermen have contacted their relatives home.

They have relayed that the boat had drifted away due to a mechanical failure.

The boat, a property of a woman in Rathgama, had left the Hambantota Fisheries Harbour on November 12.

On being informed of the loss of contact with the boat, the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry had alerted the Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Merchant ships and all fisheries craft in the region. The External Affairs Ministry had informed India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, The Maldives, Diego Garcia, Myanmar, Australia and other countries in the region.