Sri Lankan Navy rescues eight stranded after crossing from India

The Sri Lanka Navy on Saturday rescued eight people, including four women three children and a man, who were found stranded on a remote sandbank off Thalaimannar after travelling from India.

“Preliminary inquiries revealed that the group had travelled from Rameshwaram, India and had reportedly been abandoned in the area in connection with an alleged human smuggling operation”, the Navy said in a statement.

The group, which included children aged two, 11 and 14, was detected by naval personnel during an early morning patrol, it said.

The Navy provided the stranded people with drinking water, food and temporary shelter after finding them in distress.

The individuals are believed to be returnees from the Anaiyur and Okkur refugee camps in southern India, the statement said.

They are currently under the Navy's care and will be handed over to the relevant civilian authorities for further action, it said.

The Navy said the rescue was part of its routine maritime surveillance and patrol operations in Sri Lankan waters.