India has committed to aiding in the rescue of six Sri Lankan fishermen who were captured by Somali pirates, announced Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Gayan Wickremasuriya on Sunday.
The fishermen were aboard the multi-day fishing trawler Lorenzo Putha-4, which departed from Dikowita fishing harbour in Sri Lanka on January 16.
Mr. Wickremasuriya disclosed that Sri Lanka alerted the UN’s central maritime command on Saturday upon learning about the fishermen’s capture, which occurred 840 nautical miles southeast of Mogadishu by Somali pirates.
India has pledged its assistance to Sri Lanka in the rescue operation, Mr. Wickremasuriya confirmed.
The captured Sri Lankan fishermen were permitted by the pirates to communicate with the Fisheries Ministry, according to State Minister of Fisheries Piyal Nishantha.
