Air Force to assist Navy in search for missing fishermen

Daily Mirror and Sri Lanka Mirror report that three fishermen are missing at sea off Pudumathalan in Mullaitivu after going out in a boat to fish. Ada Derana (தமிழ்) says the three had gone fishing with lines; Hiru News also reports three missing off the Pudumathalan coast.

Daily Mirror and Sri Lanka Mirror say search and rescue efforts have been intensified, while Newswire reports that the Sri Lanka Navy began search operations. Daily Mirror reports that adverse weather had hampered the maritime search. Sri Lanka Mirror says the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources indicated that an Air Force helicopter was scheduled to join the search that morning; Ada Derana (සිංහල) also reports a special operation involving the Air Force and Navy. Ada Derana (தமிழ்) says the search was to continue on the 29th.

Newswire and Newsfirst describe a second, separate incident in which four fishermen are missing after setting out from Kudawella. Ada Derana reports a search for four missing fishermen off the Kudawella coast, and Hiru News and Hiru News (සිංහල) also report a missing boat and four fishermen from that area. Newsfirst says the fishermen in the two incidents had been missing for several days and that families and fishing communities were awaiting news.