Vaiko urges Centre to evacuate stranded TN fishermen from Iran amid Coronavirus outbreak

MDMK chief Vaiko on Saturday urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to take steps to expeditiously bring home 900 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran. Of the 900, 700 hail from Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, Vaiko said in a letter to Jaishankar drawing his attention to the fishermen stuck in Iran.

Citing the rising Covid-19 infections in Iran, Vaiko, also a Rajya Sabha MP, said the fishermen have limited food supplies and since all Gulf countries have halted flights, there is no direct flight to India from Iran.

He said such a scenario was "causing fear and anxiety among the stranded fishermen and their families living in India. I would request you to kindly intervene immediately and fly them back in a chartered flight or use a shipping vessel to evacuate them."

Also read: Coronavirus outbreak: Indian Embassy in Iran to facilitate return of citizens

The External Affairs Ministry did a commendable job in evacuating Indians from Wuhan province in China and Yokohama in Japan, he said. "I am sure you would do the right things to similarly help the stranded fishermen."

On Friday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami had also made a similar appeal to the External Affairs Minister to bring the fishermen home from the Gulf nation. 

(Image credit: PTI)

Also read: Almost 400 Indians stranded in Iran due to coronavirus scare

Also read: Iran confirms 34 deaths from coronavirus amid 388 cases