India, Sri Lanka exchange fishermen at maritime border

A total of 15 Indian fishermen, who were in the custody of Sri Lankan authorities, reached Karaikal, while Indian Coast Guard handed over 10 Lankan fishermen and two of their boats to the Island's Coast Guard, Indian media reported. According to an official release, Coast Guard ship ICGS Rajdhwaj received the Indian fishermen from Lankan authorities near the Indo Lankan Maritime Boundary Line and handed them over to fisheries officials at Karaikal. The ship also handed over 10 Lankan fishermen and their two boats, which were released from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. The respective Coast Guards have repatriated a total of 1,112 Indian fishermen and 165 boats and 423 Lankan fishermen and 60 boats in 2014, it added. Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera meeting his Indian counterpart Minister Sushma Swaraj on 18 January said Sri Lanka will work on a way to return about 87 Indian fishermen's fishing boats seized by the Sri Lankan authorities.