Sri Lanka’s navy said yesterday it was still holding 37 Chinese fishermen to appear in court on charges of fishing within its waters, contradicting a report by China’s Xinhua state news agency they had been released.
Sri Lanka arrested the fishermen on Sunday night for fishing in Sri Lankan waters. They were aboard two trawlers off the country’s east coast town of Batticaloa, Xinhua said.
“They are in our custody and they have not been released yet,” Sri Lankan navy spokesman Kosala Warnakulasuriya said.
“They are being held in Trincomalee,” he said, referring to the island nation’s eastern port city. “They will appear in court tomorrow and they are still on the boat.” Xinhua earlier had said Sri Lanka had released all 37 of the fishermen. – (Reuters)