A Sri Lankan boat was found stranded in the swampy stretch of Maniantheevu, about two kilometers off Arcottuthurai, here in Vedaranyam on Tuesday.
The boat was detected after sightings of two kerosene cans floating up along Arcottuthurai coast here in Vedaranyam. The kerosene cans – a 50 litre can with 30 litres of kerosene and a 35 litre can with 10 litres of kerosene – sighted by fishermen on Tuesday morning had raised suspicions of a possible alien boat in its vicinity.
A search led to the stranded blue boat, with engine, and fishing nets intact. The boat suspected to be of Sri Lankan make is believed to have landed around midnight.
Prior to its sighting, rumours of a stranded alien boat in Kodiakkarai was afloat, throwing securing agencies and the forest department onto a futile search in Kodiakkarai, located about 15 kilometers from Arcottuthurai.
Investigations are on by the IB and Q Branch to verify if it was a fishing boat, or whether it was used for smuggling of narcotics or refugee transport.
