1 Fisherman Dies, Another Missing After Sri Lankan Naval Vessel Collides With Indian Fishing Boat

New Delhi: One fisherman died while another went missing after a Sri Lankan naval vessel collided with an Indian fishing boat 5 nautical miles north of Katchatheevu Island on Thursday morning.

Two of the fishermen have been rescued and brought ashore to Kankesanthurai. A search is on for the missing Indian fisherman, an official statement read.

Indian Consulate Officials in Jaffna have been asked to rush to Kankesanthurai and extend all possible help to the fishermen and their families. The Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi was also summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs.

India has registered a strong protest over the incident. “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,” the statement cited.

India has always emphasized the need to deal with issues pertaining to fishermen in a humane and humanitarian manner. Utmost efforts should be made to ensure that there is no recurrence or resort to the use of force, it added.

Reports, however, claimed that Sri Lanka has not responded, and unlikely to do to, to New Delhi’s strong demarche.