The Sri Lanka Navy has safely rescued 11 Indian fishermen after their vessel met with an accident near the Delft islands on the northern sea coast.

The incident occurred late last night (05), prompting the Navy to launch an immediate rescue operation. 

Following a prolonged effort, all 11 fishermen were brought ashore at Delft Island today (06). Naval officials confirmed that the men are safe and further procedures are underway.

Meanwhile, the Indian fishing vessel, which was washed ashore by rough seas, is being towed to the Myliddy fishing harbor by naval personnel.

The Navy stated that subsequent activities concerning the rescued fishermen are being jointly handled with officials from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy has launched a rescue operation after an Indian fishing vessel engaged in illegal fishing activities off Delft Island met with an accident late last night (05).

The vessel was carrying 11 persons at the time of the incident. Naval officials confirmed that rescue teams have been deployed to save those on board.

The Navy said the accident occurred while the vessel was operating unlawfully within Sri Lankan territorial waters. Efforts are continuing to secure the crew and bring them ashore safely. (Newswire)

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The Government of Sri Lanka has unveiled plans to transform Delft Island into the country’s first Zero Emission eco‑tourism destination, with a strong emphasis on sustainability, environmental conservation, and the preservation of its unique natural and cultural heritage.

A special site inspection and stakeholder discussion on the proposed development was held under the leadership of Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe recently. 

The island, renowned for its Dutch‑era ruins, numerous archaeological landmarks, and iconic wild horses, is seen as possessing exceptional tourism potential.

Deputy Minister Ranasinghe told participants that Delft Island should be experienced not only by international visitors but also by domestic tourists. Despite its extraordinary attractions, he noted, the island has so far made only a limited contribution to Sri Lanka’s tourism industry. 

He emphasized the Government’s commitment to unlocking Delft’s full potential through sustainable and environmentally responsible development. 

Discussions focused on identifying priority infrastructure to position Delft Island as a premier tourism destination, with key areas including water supply, road infrastructure, transportation and accessibility. Strengthening community participation was also highlighted, with plans to enhance the knowledge and hospitality skills of local residents to enable them to benefit directly from tourism development.

The Deputy Minister stressed that environmental sustainability will remain the cornerstone of the development strategy. The Government’s vision is to establish Delft Island as a flagship Zero Emission tourism destination, showcasing responsible tourism practices, promoting renewable and sustainable solutions, and serving as a model for eco‑friendly tourism development in Sri Lanka. 

The programme was attended by Jaffna District MP Ilankumaran Karunanathan, Dr. Sribavanadarajah Shanmuganathan, Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy, representatives of local political authorities, the Divisional Secretary of Delft, government officials, and members of the local community, who actively shared their views on the island’s future development.

Officials from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) also participated in the visit and discussions. 

The initiative marks an important step towards positioning Delft Island as one of Sri Lanka’s most distinctive sustainable tourism destinations, where environmental conservation, cultural heritage preservation, and community‑based tourism development work together to create a world‑class visitor experience. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy has seized a diverse consignment of items, including foreign cigarettes, pesticides, and perfumes, suspected of being smuggled into the country. 

According to the navy, the recovery was made during a coastal security operation conducted on Wednesday (24), along the Vellai beach area of Delft Island. The operation was mounted by SLNS Wasaba, under the Northern Naval Command.

While patrolling the coastal stretch of the Vellai beach, naval personnel discovered 06 suspicious sacks. A thorough inspection of the packages led to the recovery of several products, including 500 packets of foreign cigarettes, 2,295 packets of pesticides, 2,569 packs of medicinal ointments, 165 packs of cosmetic creams and 64 bottles of perfume.

Following the seizure, the confiscated items were handed over to the Delft Police Station for further legal proceedings and investigation. (Newswire)

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Due to the impact of adverse weather conditions, the Sri Lanka Air Force today (26) transported the exam answer scripts from the examination centre located on Delft Island back to the Northern Province Department of Education Office.

The exam answer scripts were transported using a Bell 212 helicopter belonging to the Air Force. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Navy has seized 03 Indian trawlers and apprehended 13 Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Delft Island in Jaffna today.

According to the Navy, the arrest was made during a special operation conducted together with the Coast Guard to deter Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters. 

The Navy and Coast Guard continue to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers, taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen.

As part of these efforts, the Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft of the Navy and Coast Guard to chase away a group of Indian trawlers, having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters off the Delft Island. 

The 03 seized trawlers and 13 Indian fishermen arrested during the operation were brought to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for legal proceedings.

With this arrest, the Sri Lanka Navy has seized a total of 35 Indian trawlers and arrested 252 Indian fishermen so far in 2024 for poaching in Sri Lankan waters. (Newswire)

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