Indian fishermen who were stranded on Salomon Islands which is in British Indian Ocean territory have been rescued by the Indian Coast Guard.

These fishermen, numbering 14 had sailed out on the fishing boat Chrisha Mol on November 27 from Thengapattanam in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari district, were stranded as their ship’s engine suffered a breakdown. Taking help of a Sri Lankan fishing boat, they managed to take their ship to the nearby land and anchor it. Inclement weather forced them to leave the boat and take a dinghy to go to Ile Anglaise in Saloman Island.

An Offshore Support Vessel Grampian Endurance from Salomon Island sighted the crew and took them onboard. They communicated to the Indian Coast Guard about these fishermen. ICG deployed their ship C-441 to meet OSV Grampian 15 nautical miles from Colachel where they took the fishermen abroad.

All the fishermen are healthy and have been handed over to the Vizhinjam Coast police for further enquiry.