Colombo: India has pledged to assist in the rescue of six Sri Lankan fishermen captured by the Somali pirates, Sri Lanka Navy spokesman Gayan Wickremasuriya said on Sunday. The multi-day fishing trawler Lorenzo Putha-4 set sail from Dikowita fishing harbour in Sri Lanka on January 16.

The pirates had allowed the Sri Lankan fishermen captured to communicate with the fisheries ministry, the state minister of fisheries Piyal Nishantha told reporters.

Wickremasuriya said the UN's central maritime command was alerted by Sri Lanka on Saturday on the six fishermen and their trawler being captured by the Somali pirates 840 nautical miles southeast of Mogadishu.

He said India has pledged to assist Sri Lanka in the rescue of the fishermen.

The pirates had allowed the Sri Lankan fishermen captured to communicate with the fisheries ministry, the state minister of fisheries Piyal Nishantha told reporters.