Sri Lankan Tamils evacuated

By Our Staff Reporter

RAMANATHAPURAM, JUNE 17. The three-day drama near the Indo-Sri Lankan international border came to an end today following the evacuation of 43 stranded Tamils from the Sixth Island by the Sri Lankan Navy.

According to the District Collector, Mr. D. Mani Bharathi, two batches of Sri Lankan Tamils - 18 men, 9 women and 16 children - landed on the Island on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The first batch of 28 was spotted by an Indian Naval helicopter during a routine aerial surveillance on Wednesday. The district administration and the police were alerted. But as the stranded people were in Sri Lankan territorial waters, the authorities could not rescue them. The Navy rescued five of them, who had swum to the Fifth Island in Indian territorial waters.

A Sri Lankan ship and a boat arrived in the Sixth Island today and rescued the remaining persons.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : National
Previous : Ex-Army officer named Tripura Governor
Next     : Nine ultras killed in J&K