Navy rescues Coast Guards taken hostage

The Indian Navy on Friday rescued two Coast Guards taken hostage by Sri Lankan fishermen who had entered Indian waters.

The Indian Navy on Friday rescued two Coast Guards taken hostage by Sri Lankan fishermen who had entered Indian waters.

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The navy deployed Dornier aircraft and warships to pinpoint the location of the Lankan fishing trawler in which the Indian sailors were held for more than 24 hours.

On December 8, two Coast Guard patrols spotted Lankan fishermen poaching in Indian waters. The Coast Guard apprehended seven boats. Two sailors were assigned to each of the vessels to escort them to Visakhapatnam. On way, fishermen on one boat, Win Marine, attacked the sailors with knives and disappeared with them on December 9. The matter was raised in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

The navy and Coast Guard launched a joint search, a navy spokesman said. Three Indian warships surrounded the Lankan trawler, it is learnt.

“The Lankan vessel was located around 200 km east of Chennai. The fishermen handed over the sailors to us,” he said.

Sources said Lankan navy mediated the sailors’ release.