Andhra Pradesh’s Krishna District Collector says that the clearance of the Indian Union Home Ministry was still being awaited for the deportation of five Sri Lankan fishermen who had accidentally reached the Indian shores last month. The five Sri Lankan fishermen, who had accidentally reached the Indian shores at Sangameswaram in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh last month when their mechanised fishing trawler developed a technical snag, are biding their time to get back to their homes.
Three of them – captain Rohan Chaminda, 34, Loku Greeganage Padmalal, 37 and Kodikara Saman Priyantha, 29 – are from Mirissa village of Matara district located at the southern tip of the island nation, while D.P. Wikramanayaka, 43, and Dehivalege Nimesh Chanaka, 20 joined them at Trincomalee Port as last minute substitutes for two other fishermen who fell sick on their way from Mirissa.
All the five set out from Trincomalee on July 11 in the international waters in search of the lucrative tuna fish, but lost direction after the boat’s engine failed and developed a huge cavity at the bottom. They reached the Indian coast near here in the early hours of July 20 and voluntarily reported before the Nagayalanka police. The police did not arrest them after they were convinced that it was a genuine case of distress on the high seas.
They have since then been staying put in a makeshift tent on the premises of the Nagayalanka Tahsildar’s office, waiting to hear the good news of deportation. A local voluntary organisation is lending a helping hand to the revenue officials in providing food to the beleaguered foreigners. (Hindu)
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