Eight fishermen whose boat beached on Lankan island rescued

Eight fishermen from Tamil Nadu were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard after their country boat beached on a Sri Lankan island Friday.

According to a CG official, they sought Colombo's permission to access the island, besides taking up the case with the Indian High Commission at Sri Lanka for immediate release of the stranded boat and crew.

After developing a technical snag, the fishing boat (country boat) sent a distress alert and drifted towards the seventh island located around 1.5 nautical miles past the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

"There are over 10 islands and first five falls in the Indian side, after which the IMBL intersects. Sixth island onwards falls in Sri Lankan side," the official told PTI.

"The fishermen were unaware of which side (India or Sri Lanka) the island belonged," the official added.

The CG deployed an hovercraft, an amphibious vessel capable of travelling on land and water, for the rescue operation.

"Hovercrafts would be on patrol and that is the time we got a call from Sri Lanka about a boat stuck on an island. We went there and rescued," the official said.

The CG also took up the case with the Indian High Commission at Sri Lanka for immediate release of the stranded boat and crew, a statement said.

The fishermen have been handed over to Tamil Nadu officials.