India registers strong protest with Sri Lanka over fisherman death due to collision between Indian boat and navy ship

India on Thursday registered a strong protest with Sri Lanka after an Indian fisherman died post-collision between a Sri Lankan naval vessel and an Indian fishing boat. The Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner was called to the Ministry of External Affairs office to discuss the matter, MEA said in a statement.

An Indian boat carrying four fishermen collided with Sri Lankan naval vessel nearly 5 nautical miles north of Katchatheevu Island, MEA said in a statement. One of the four fishermen died after the boat capsized in the accident. Whereas two others were rescued and brought ashore to the Kankesanthurai. Fourth fisherman on the boat is still missing after the accident and the search is going on to track him as soon as possible.

Indian Consulate Officials in Jaffna have been instructed to immediately rush to Kankesanthurai and extend all possible assistance to the fishermen and their families.

The statement added that the Indian officials at Jaffna had been instructed to rush to the Kankesanthurai and provide all possible assistance to the affected fishermen and their family members.

It also said that the existing understandings between the two governments in that regard must be strictly observed and that efforts should be made to ensure that there is no recurrence or resort to the use of force.

India and Sri Lanka have faced several maritime border disputes in past. Recently, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended nine fishermen hailing from Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram. Moreover, nearly 74 Indian fishermen have been arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy (mostly for trespassing the maritime borders) in 2024. Furious over the frequent arrests by Sri Lankan Navy, fishermen in Rameshwaram held a massive protest against the frequent arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy and demanded the immediate release of all the fishermen who had been arrested so far.