Four fishermen missing in Jaffna lagoon

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 December 2003, 12:51 GMT]
Four fishermen of Gurunagar of Jaffna town, Gratien Jemmar (35), S.Ravi (45), Benedict Ranjit (35) and L.Uthayakumar (37), are reported to be missing since December 22 while fishing in Iranaitivu sea area in Jaffna lagoon, Jaffna Fishermen Union officials said.

The fishing craft with outboard motor has been recovered in the sea, according to a complaint lodged by the owner of the craft Mr. Anthonypillai Gnanasegaram at the Jaffna regional office of the Human Rights Commission (HRC) of Sri Lanka Friday.

He said the missing fishermen left Gurunagar landing point on December 22 around 1 p.m. to fish in Iranaitivu sea area in the Jaffna lagoon.

As fishermen failed to return to the shore within the stipulated time h0e went in search of them in another boat but found his fishing craft with the outboard engine drifting in the sea without the fishermen and their fishing gear, according to the complaint.

The HRCS Jaffna regional office Friday immediately contacted the Gurunagar camp of the Sri Lanka Army and the Sri Lanka Navy to find out the whereabouts of the missing fishermen, human rights sources said.

SLN and the SLA have yet to respond if they have any information on the fishermen's whereabouts, security sources said.