Rescued Sri Lankan Fishermen and Suspected Pirates Dock at Port Victoria
VICTORIA, Seychelles — The six Sri Lankan fishermen rescued earlier this week from suspected Somali pirates arrived safely at the Seychelles Coast Guard port on Wednesday, accompanied by three suspected pirates detained by local forces during the operation. The rescued crew had been aboard the Sri Lankan fishing trawler Lorenzo Putha 7, which had been hijacked in the open ocean before being intercepted by the Seychelles Defence Forces operating from the Coast Guard vessel Topaz. The arrival in port brought to a close a multi-day operation that had begun in the wider Indian Ocean.
The three suspected pirates were escorted off the Coast Guard vessel by local police officers and were transferred into the custody of the relevant authorities for investigation and any subsequent prosecution. Photographs taken at the port show the three men in custody, and the police presence at the dock was heightened as a precaution. The handling of the three suspects is expected to follow standard procedure, with the men likely to be charged in the coming days. The exact location of the rescue has not been disclosed by the Seychelles Defence Forces, but the operation is understood to have taken place in international waters north of Seychelles.
According to Sri Lankan news reports, the six fishermen embarked on their journey aboard the Lorenzo Putha 7 from the Dikkowita Fishery Harbour on January 12. The vessel was reported missing shortly after, and a search was launched that eventually traced it to waters north of Seychelles. The Seychelles-led operation allowed the joint force to act quickly once the vessel had been located, and is being held up as an example of the new spirit in the country’s defence forces. The operation is the latest in a series of anti-piracy actions led by the Seychelles forces in recent years, often in cooperation with regional and international partners.
President Wavel Ramkalawan, in his capacity as Commander in Chief of the Seychelles Defence Forces, has praised the Special Forces and Coast Guards for their role in intercepting the Sri Lankan fishing vessel hijacked by armed Somali pirates. The President expressed his congratulations to Chief of Defence Forces, Brigadier Michael Rosette, for the well-executed mission. The framing of the operation as a successful demonstration of the new spirit in the force is in line with the broader narrative around the modernisation of the Seychelles Defence Forces.
The rescued fishermen are expected to be processed in Victoria in the coming days, with arrangements then being made for their return to Sri Lanka. The Seychelles government has not yet released further details about the operation, but a fuller account is expected once the rescued crew have been debriefed. The handling of the three suspected pirates will be the subject of further updates from the office of the Attorney General and from the Seychelles Police, in line with the normal procedures for cases of this nature.
