Seychelles forces rescue 6 Sri Lankan fishermen from boat hijacked by Somali pirates

By BHARATHA MALLAWARACHI
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The Seychelles’ defense forces and coast guard have rescued six Sri Lankan fishermen whose vessel was hijacked by Somali pirates two days earlier. The Seychelles president’s office says its forces led a successful operation to regain control of the vessel. Sri Lankan’s Fisheries Department says the three hijackers were arrested, and the fishermen and their boat are safe and are being taken to the Seychelles. The hijacking came two weeks after Sri Lanka said it would join a U.S.-led operation to protect merchant vessels sailing in the Red Sea against attacks by Yemen-based Houthi rebels. Other suspected hijackings in waters off Somalia have raised concern that Somali pirates have resumed activity a decade after they caused chaos in international shipping.