Fifty three Sri Lankan boats which had been languishing in India for more than 10 years were returned after repairs and refurbishing last week. The were received at the maritime boundary by the Sri Lankan Navy who escorted the humanitarian flotilla to Trincomalee.

Expediting the release of Sri Lankan fishermen and their vessels detained in India has been a long-standing problem of humanitarian concern. In the context of the current excellent relations between India and Sri Lanka enabled practical functional co-operation in many fields, the Sri Lanka foreign ministry said.

The repair and refurbishing of these boats which enabled them to be floated and brought back to Sri Lanka, was made possible by a loan from the Office of the Commissioner-General for Co-ordination of Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation in collaboration with the local fishermens’ associations.

The operation in Nagappatinam was supervised by the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commissioner in Chennai who personally co-ordinated the liaison with the relevant Indian authorities in New Delhi and Chennai and the Sri Lankan boat owners, skippers and returning passengers, the ministry said.

The boats were towed out to sea under escort from the Indian Coast Guard and transferred to the SL navy at the maritime boundary.

This operation also enabled the return of a number of Lankan refugee families who had been in various camps in Tamil Nadu for many years.

The success of the first initiative will pave the way for the return of the balance Sri Lankan vessels originally detained in India which have now been released for repatriation to Sri Lanka, the ministry said.