Fisherfolk team sets sail to Lanka to bring back boats

MADURAI: Fourteen fishermen from Rameswaram left for Sri Lanka on Monday to begin the process of reclaiming Indian fishing boats.

A boat carrying the delegation led by VP Sesuraja, president of the Traditional Indian Fishermen Welfare Association, set sail from Rameswaram. These fishing boats had been in Sri Lankan custody for more than three years.

The vessels were among several seized by the Sri Lankan Navy in 2021-22 for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). Following petitions filed by boat owners, Sri Lankan courts recently ordered the release of 12 boats docked at Myliddy harbour in Jaffna district. With official permission granted by Colombo, the fishermen have now sailed to inspect the condition of their vessels.

“The release of these boats is the result of a long legal battle fought by the owners. Their livelihoods were affected all these years, and now they finally have a chance to recover their means of work,” said the fishermen association leader, Sesuraja.

After obtaining a permit from the embassy, the delegation left for the Island nation. The key task of the delegation is to assess the condition of those 12 detained boats at Jaffna.

The fishermen will be escorted by the Sri Lankan Navy from the IMBL to Myliddy harbour.