Efforts on to bring back fishermen held in Indonesia, Seychelles: EAM

Thiruvananthapuram: Indian Missions in Indonesia and Seychelles are closely following with the local authorities the issue of detention of 13 Indian fishermen in those countries and making efforts for their repatriation, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said.

In a letter to Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, Adoor Prakash, the Minister said eight Indian fishermen, five from Tamil Nadu and three from Kerala detained on the night of March 7-8 by Marine Police of Aceh, for fishing in Indonesian waters. Officials from Indian Consulate General have met the fishermen and they were found to be in good health. Jaishankar said 56 fishermen (except the five captains of the five fishing boats) have been released by Seychelles government on March 22.