Eight fishermen of Akkaraipettai in Nagapattinam, who were repatriated by Sri Lanka, reached Karaikal on Friday.
A patrolling vessel of Coast Guard, Rani Abbakka, brought them to Karaikal after they were handed over by Sri Lankan authorities near International Maritime Boundary Line.
Conducted an enquiry
Upon arrival, Coast Guard personnel carried out an enquiry into the circumstances that led to the Sri Lanka shore. They were subsequently handed over the fisheries officials.
The Minister for Fisheries K.A. Jayapal, fisheries officials and the family members received them at the port.
The fishermen, Anandavel (50), Chithiravel (28), Renganathan, Vinoth (28), Balamurugan (35), Kannan (27), Lakshmanan (40) and Ramanathan had ventured into the sea for fishing on a mechanized boat from Nagapattinam on January 2.