Jan 23, Colombo: The bodies of four fishermen who were aboard an Indian fishing vessel that sank on the 18th due to an accident in Sri Lankan waters northwest of Delft Island have been handed over to the Indian Coast Guard today (23).
According to the Sri Lanka Navy, the handover took place at the International Maritime Boundary Line between Sri Lanka and India.
The Navy launched a search and rescue operation for fishermen who had entered Sri Lankan waters and engaged in illegal fishing in violation of international maritime boundary Line, on the night of January 18 and were able to recover the bodies.
The inquest revealed that the bodies belonged to three Indian nationals and a Sri Lankan origin fisherman living in India.
The bodies were handed over to the Indian Consulate General in Jaffna after legal proceedings by the Mallakam Magistrate's Court. At the request of the Indian Consulate General office, Sri Lanka Navy took steps to take the bodies to the IMBL for the handover.
Accordingly, the bodies were handed over to the Indian Coast Guard ship Athulya (ICGS ATULYA) at the international maritime border between Sri Lanka and India today (23) by a vessel belonging to the Sri Lanka Coast Guard.
Further, all these activities were carried out by the Navy in accordance with the health instructions and procedures given in the face of the threat of Covid 19.