Oct 16, Galle: Sri Lankan Navy has brought ashore two fishermen who were critically injured in a suspected pirate attack in the deep seas off southeastern coast of Sri Lanka.

At least two Sri Lankan fishermen were critically injured and three others are missing in a suspected pirate attack, the Navy said today.

Five fishermen who set off on fishing in a multi-day trawler from the coast of Kudawella Fisheries Harbor in the deep south on Sunday (14) had been assaulted by a group of ten pirates in a small boat and thrown into the sea, the police spokesman SSP Prishantha Jayakody said.

Two of the fishermen had been rescued by two merchant vessels, MV Lusail and MV Edith Maersk, in the south-eastern deep seas and handed them over to the Navy.

Sri Lanka Navy's Offshore Patrol Vessel, SLNS Jayasagara has provided onboard emergency medical treatments and brought them ashore to hand them over to the Galle Harbor Police for further action.

The fishermen have been admitted to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle by the Galle Harbor Police.

The Navy commended the timely action taken by the two merchant vessels to save the lives of the fishermen.

According to local media reports, three other fishermen who fell overboard are still missing and the skipper of the trawler had fled with the attackers.