At least 13 Sri Lankan fishermen traveling in two boats have been detained by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard on suspicion of illegal fishing in Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Sri Lankan media has reported.
The accused have been kept under the custody of MNDF's Northern Area Command Coast Guard and are on the First Squadron’s Ship Nooraddeen docked at Haa Alif Filladhoo harbor.
In a separate event on Saturday, the Sri Lanka Navy revealed that the ‘Lorenzo Putha 4’ multi-day fishing trawler and its six-person crew had been seized on January 12, with authorities pointing the finger at Somali pirates.
The Department of Fisheries reportedly confirmed that communication with the Sri Lankan fishing vessel abducted by Somali pirates has been lost and the details of the crew and their current condition remain unclear.
Sri Lanka has appealed to several countries to assist in the release of the Lankan trawler.