The Indian Coast Guard on Saturday announced that 15 Indian fishermen handed over by the Sri Lankan Navy to it at the Indo-Sri Lankan international maritime boundary line are returning to Tuticorin in one of its vessels.
Naikidevi, the vessel, in which the fishermen were expected to arrive in Tuticorin early morning on Sunday, a press release from Indian Coast Guard said. Stating that the ICG took over the fishermen from a Sri Lankan naval ship around 4.45 p.m., the release further said that on arrival, they would be handed over to local fisheries authorities.
The Indian Coast Guard in the Eastern region repatriated 45 Indian fishing boats with 302 crew and 16 Sri Lankan fishing boats with 138 crew this month, the release further said.