Colombo, August 28: A 15-member delegation of Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu arrived in northern Sri Lanka to reclaim their fishing boats seized earlier by local authorities on charges of poaching.
The group, led by S Jesurasa from Rameswaram, reached Jaffna district on Wednesday and inspected seven vessels currently docked at Myliddi fishing harbour. Sri Lankan authorities had released the boats in 2022 after prolonged diplomatic discussions.
According to officials, the fishermen will remain in Jaffna for three days to engage local mechanics and repair the engines before the vessels can be sailed back to India. They are expected to return at a later date to ferry the repaired boats across the Palk Strait.
The release of Indian boats has been a recurring issue in India-Sri Lanka fisheries relations, as both countries continue to negotiate solutions to disputes over fishing rights and maritime boundaries.