KANNIYAKUMARI: Relatives of fishermen from Kanniyakumari district have urged the centre to take immediate steps to bring back around 800 fishers allegedly stranded in Kish, Asaloor, Shiragh, Mugham islands of Iran owing to the war in West Asia. A video sent by the stranded fishers to their families has now gone viral.
Fishers from coastal villages of the district go to Iran via Dubai after getting seaman licence and work for Iranian sponsors, sources said. V Vimala of Rajakkamangalamthurai said her husband J Rajendiran (48) called her over phone from Kish island on Saturday, saying all the fishermen working there are in a state of fear owing to constant air strikes.
With food shortage looming large, Rajendiran said they could eat only once a day. R Santhiya from Kurumpanai said her husband R Sahayaprabhu (41) had told her a few days ago that he and several fishermen had to stay in a boat to escape air strikes.
South Asian Fishermen Fraternity general secretary Father A Churchil said round 800 fishers from Kanniyakumari are now stranded in the four Iranian islands, he claimed. Father Churchil also said he had gone to Delhi and submitted a memorandum on Friday.
A senior government official told TNIE that based on an official list, only 387 fishermen from Kanniyakumari were in Iran and information has been sent to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassy in Iran.