REFUGEE

Four Indian fishermen found drifting in their fishing boat near the Maradapuram fishing marshalling point in Karainagar Island yesterday around 10 a.m. were taken ashore by Naval authorities.

The four fishermen had set out to sea on November 28 from Kodiyakarei, Nagamawattam, India to fish in the Palk strait. They had lost track of their nets which they had laid in the night and this had resulted in them sourcing the high seas looking for the lost nets. Their fibreglass boat had run out of fuel and the fishermen had got stranded at mid sea. The boat had begun to drift deeper into the ocean and ended up in Sri Lankan shores.

Sri Lanka Navy authorities in Karainagar took the fishermen in distress into their care. After proper medical examination, the fishermen were provided with clean clothes and served with a meal. Naval authorities took all measures to ensure the fishermen's welfare. Their boats together with all equipment had been handed over to the Madarapuram Fishing Society for safe keeping.

The four fishermen Karunanidhi Sekar (44), Ramanchandiran Shakthivel (40), Weeramuthtu Soundaraj (30) and Kumaran Muniyan (32) are natives of Nagamawattam and belong to the Naleiwurumei Fishing Society in Kodiyakarei, India.

The fishermen said they were well taken care by the Sri Lankan Navy.