Navy rescues trawlers in distress

The Navy rescued an Indian and a Sri Lankan fishing trawler in distress in the deep seas on June 30. Naval personnel on board SLN Vessel P 483 attached to the Northern Naval Command detected the defective Indian trawler with three fishermen on board, in the sea off Delft Island and rescued it.

The rescued trawler with the three Indian fishermen on board was towed by P 483 with the assistance of SLN Vessel P 464 and handed over to the Indian Coast Guard ship C 146 at the Indo Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line.

The Navy assisted four Indian fishermen who were in distress on board their defective trawler in Sri Lankan waters on June 26.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Naval ship Nandimithra rescued a Sri Lankan multi-day fishing trawler Nimesh Putha drifting in the seas 17 nautical miles off Point Pedro. The trawler had left Trincomalee for deep sea fishing on June 22 and it had developed an engine defect while in the Northern deep seas on June 30. In response to a request by the owner of the trawler through the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Department, the trawler was towed to Point Pedro by SLNS Nandimithra and its engine was repaired by the ship’s staff, enabling the crew to sail home safely.