Fishermen rescued after boat collides with merchant vessel

Five Sri Lankan fishermen whose boat was sinking after colliding with an Iranian merchant vessel have been rescued by another Sri Lankan fishing boat, the navy stated. 

The multi-day fishing trawler 'Anju Putha,' which had left Mirissa Fisheries Harbour on August 5, had collided with the Iranian vessel about 30 nautical miles from the Sri Lankan coast at about 8.45am yesterday (16). The incident had been reported to the Sri Lanka avy. 

Five fishermen from Weligama, Denipitiya and Mirissa had been aboard the vessel at the time of the incident. They are between the ages of 20 and 42, the navy revealed. Even as the navy was dispatching vessels to mount a rescue, a message had been received that the fishermen had been picked up by another multi-day fishing trawler named 'Mahesh Putha.'

The 'Mahesh Putha' sailed into the Devinuwara Purana Wella Fisheries Harbour last night with the five rescued fishermen. 

The Sri Lanka Navy and the Ministry of Fisheries are conducting further investigations into the incident. 

By Krishan Jeewaka Jayaruk

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