Sri Lankan fishermen seized by Somali pirates rescued: navy

COLOMBO, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Sri Lankan fishing trawler, together with its six crew members, which was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea on Saturday, was rescued by the Seychelles Coast Guard, said the Sri Lankan navy on Monday.

Gayan Wickramasuriya, media director of the navy, told journalists that three pirates have also been arrested, and the rescued Sri Lankan fishermen and the multi-day fishing vessel named Lorenzo Putha 4 were being taken to the capital of the Seychelles.

Wickramasuriya said the Seychelles carried out a rescue operation following the request made by the Sri Lankan navy.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry said earlier that it has reached out to countries near the area where Somali pirates seized the fishing vessel from the South Asian nation.