Chennai: Indian Naval Ship Khanjar safely brings back 36 stranded TN fishermen

Indian Naval Ship 'Khanjar' took 30 hours to navigate the rough sea and bring back 36 Indian fishermen who were stranded 130 nautical miles from the Tamil Nadu coast in the Bay of Bengal.

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) : Indian Naval Ship 'Khanjar' has safely brought back 36 Indian fishermen who were stranded 130 nautical miles from the Tamil Nadu coast in the Bay of Bengal. The fishermen were onboard three fishing vessels, which were towed by INS Khanjar for more than 30 hours in challenging sea conditions.

The fishermen who ventured into the sea in three vessels got caught in the rough seas. INS Khanjar is on an operational deployment in the Bay of Bengal and detected three fishing Vessels Sabarainathan, Kalaivani and V Sami approximately 130 mm from the Tamil Nadu Coast. The vessels with 36 fishermen onboard were from Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu.

The fishermen had been stranded at sea for over two days due to rough weather conditions, without fuel and provisions. They also encountered technical issues like engine breakdown. As the fishermen remained stuck at sea for over 48 hours, concerns were raised about their lives by their family members and fellow fishermen.

However, after detecting their location, the ship Khanjar supplied the Fishing Vessels with the necessary provisions and towed them for over 30 hours, ensuring their safe return to Chennai harbour on 28 July 2023. INS Khanjar is an indigenous Khukri class Missile Corvette, currently in service with the Indian Navy. (ANI)