67 stranded Sri Lankan nationals rescued by fishermen

All of them were handed over to the 'Q' branch police (which deals with terrorist activities), who are questioning them along with coastal security police and Coast Guard personnel to verify their claims, police said.

The Lankan nationals, hailing from Jaffna, Mullativu, Vavuniya and Kilinochi, said each of them had paid between Rs three to five lakh to an agent in Sri Lanka who had promised them lucrative jobs in Australia.

Fishermen who had put out to sea in mechanised boats on September 12 said they had spotted the boat with the migrants yesterday a good distance off Vailankanni town in the district.

"When we were engaged in deep sea fishing, we noticed people in the boat signalling for help," Thambiraj, a fisherman, said.

The Lankan nationals, including four Sinhalese, two women and two children, told the fishermen they had set sail from Paruthithurai port in Sri Lanka on August 24. Within two days, their boat developed a snag and they were stranded in mid sea.

They said they did not have adequate food or water and were consuming sea water. Many among them had swooned and were too weak to speak, said the fishermen.

The fishermen said they decided to tow the boat back to Nagapattinam port and berthed here early this morning.