Forty stranded Indian fishermen return from Iran

As many as 40 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran returned home on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu government said. The fishermen hailed from different districts of the state including Kanyakumari, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said in a statement. They were employed on contract in Iran and were stranded there following the Coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Though the Government of India had deployed Indian Navy Ship Jalashwa to ferry 687 stranded Indian fishermen from Iran last month after Chief Minister K Palaniswami took up the matter with the Centre, this group could not come then, he said. Following this, the state government made sustained efforts to ensure their return, Jayakumar said, adding, they arrived here today by an Air India flight.

The fishermen hailing from Kanyakumari, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram and Chengelpet districts were sent to their respective destinations in separate vehicles, the minister added.