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Sri Lankan naval vessel collides with Indian fishing boat near Katchatheevu Island; 1 fisherman dead
India called Sri Lankan acting high commissioner to register protest aginst the Katchatheevu island collision incident.
A collision between a Sri Lankan naval vessel and an Indian fishing boat near Katchatheevu island left one fisherman dead and another missing, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
The collision occurred about 5 nautical miles north of Katchatheevu Island on Thursday morning. Of the four fishermen on the boat, two were rescued and taken to Kankesanthurai.
A search is underway for the missing fisherman, the ministry said. Indian Consulate officials in Jaffna have been asked to urgently go to Kankesanthurai to support the fishermen and their families, it added.
India registers strong protest with Sri Lanka
The ministry summoned the Sri Lankan acting high commissioner in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest over the incident, according to the MEA.
“We expressed our shock and anguish at the unfortunate loss of life. Our High Commissioner in Colombo will also be raising the matter with the Sri Lankan government later today (Thursday),” the ministry said in a statement.
"Government of India has always emphasised the need to deal with issues pertaining to fishermen in a humane and humanitarian manner," it added.
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Katchatheevu – a contested island
Katchatheevu Island, situated between Rameswaram (India) and Sri Lanka, was traditionally used by fishermen from both countries. In 1974, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi agreed to cede Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka under the "Indo-Sri Lankan Maritime Agreement."
This agreement confirmed Sri Lanka's sovereignty over the island and addressed historic waters between Sri Lanka and India in the Palk Strait and Palk Bay.
But Indian fishermen are allowed to access the island, as per the agreement
Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Congress for "carelessly" transferring the island to Sri Lanka during Indira Gandhi’s tenure.
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Upheld existing understandings on Katchatheevu island: India to Sri Lanka
MEA said that the "existing understandings" between the two governments must be strictly upheld. It said there is a need for the utmost efforts to prevent any recurrence or use of force.
“Government attaches the highest priority to the safety and security of Indian fishermen,” it said, adding that it has raised the issue multiple times with Sri Lanka at the highest levels.
