NEW DELHI: A total of 345 Indian fishermen who were stranded in Iran safely arrived in Chennai Saturday evening after completing a complex overland and air journey that included transit through Armenia.
The group, mostly from Tamil Nadu and other coastal states, landed at the Chennai International Airport on a special flight late in the evening, where they were received by officials. The fishermen had been working in Iranian waters for several months.
All returnees have been reported in good health, and local authorities coordinated transport and medical assistance before sending them on to their hometowns.
In coordination with the governments of Iran and Armenia, the External Affairs Ministry facilitated an alternative corridor that first moved the group overland from Iran to Armenia before they boarded the special flight to India.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for his support in enabling the return of the Indian nationals. Senior officials from the Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department and the MEA were present at the airport to oversee arrival formalities and ensure the fishermen received immediate assistance.
Union minister Piyush Goyal, speaking to reporters in Chennai, described the operation as a “joyous day” for the families of the returnees.
“Our brothers and sisters who were suffering in Iran are returning home to their families and their motherland. We warmly welcome all our fishermen,” he said, adding that “it was a very difficult journey; they had to travel 20 hours to reach Armenia.”
In a separate development, at least 12 people, including five Indians and six Nepali nationals, were injured in Abu Dhabi due to falling debris from Iranian missiles that were intercepted by the United Arab Emirates air defence system on Friday, authorities said.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office advised the public to avoid spreading rumours or unverified information about the incident. The UAE confirmed that five Indian nationals sustained minor to moderate injuries.