Sri Lankan fishermen rescued in Indian waters

Two Sri Lankan fishermen were rescued after being stranded at sea near Indian waters. Local fishermen from the Ramanathapuram district helped them reach the shore in Thondi on Thursday. The fishermen have been identified as Vimalendran Gnanaraj, 45, and Boologa Dasan, 54, both from Jaffna, Sri Lanka. They had gone fishing on March 14, but when they went missing, their families reported them to the Fisheries Department on March 18. The Sri Lankan police also registered a missing person case. Marine Police stated that the fishermen lost their way due to strong winds. Their boat drifted into Indian territory. While seeking help, they were spotted by fishermen from Paasipattinam, who then brought them ashore. Vimalendran Gnanaraj has lived in a refugee camp in Madurai since 1990. After returning to Sri Lanka in 2019, he worked as a painter before taking up fishing two years ago. His boat had a mechanical problem and was anchored about five nautical miles from the shore. Investigations are ongoing.