11 TN fishermen stray into Sri Lanka waters due to snag in boat, let off

Rameswaram(TN), Nov 20: Eleven Tamil Nadu fishermen who drifted into Sri Lankan waters after their boat developed a snag mid sea were let off by the island nation's Navy, a state fisheries department official said.

The fishermen from Nagapattinam district strayed into Lankan territorial waters after their boat developed a snag while they were fishing in the region, Assistant Director Fisheries department, Nagapattinam, Gangadar said. They were arrested by the Lankan navy and taken to Kaarainagar, he said.

The fishermen apprised the Lankan navy that they drifted because of malfunctioning of their boat engine, he said adding the sang was rectified and they were sent back. The incident comes amid recurring arrests of fishermen from the state by the Lankan naval personnel on charges of poaching fish in their waters.

PTI