Sri Lanka's diplomatic channels are engaging in efforts to locate a fishing vessel and its six crew members amid suspicions of abduction by Somali pirates. The vessel's disappearance, believed to be at the hands of pirates, has prompted urgent discussions between Sri Lankan officials and Somali authorities, as fears of a resurgence in pirate activity loom large in international waters.

The incident unfolded just two weeks after Sri Lanka announced its participation in a U.S.-led initiative aimed at safeguarding merchant vessels navigating the Red Sea against potential threats from Yemen-based Houthi rebels. Now, with the apparent hijacking of the Sri Lankan fishing vessel, concerns over the resurgence of piracy off the coast of Somalia have heightened, reminiscent of the chaos wrought by Somali pirates a decade ago.

According to Sri Lankan navy spokesman Capt. Gayan Wickramasuriya, the suspected abduction occurred in international waters approximately 840 nautical miles east of Somalia, with the vessel situated 1,100 nautical miles from Sri Lanka and north of Seychelles. Despite efforts to establish contact, authorities remain in the dark about the whereabouts of the vessel and its crew.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry has sprung into action, working fervently to secure the release of the abducted fishermen. Ministry spokesman Niluka Kadurugamuwa revealed that Sri Lankan ambassadors in the African region have initiated dialogue with Somali authorities in a bid to expedite the safe return of the fishermen and their trawler.

Narrating the harrowing ordeal, Susantha Kahawatta, a senior official in the Fisheries Department, disclosed that an armed group descended upon an area where approximately 30 Sri Lankan vessels were engaged in fishing activities. Armed assailants reportedly boarded the targeted fishing trawler, firing warning shots to deter nearby vessels before absconding with the trawler and its crew. Details of the abduction were provided by fishermen aboard other trawlers, who identified the attackers as Somali.

In response to the escalating maritime security concerns, Sri Lanka's navy had announced plans to deploy a vessel for merchant ship protection, although specifics regarding the deployment date and patrol area remain pending.