Fifteen fishermen from Kanyakumari district and two from Ernakulam in Kerala, who were stranded off Goa coast due to engine failure three days ago, were rescued on Friday, sources in the Fisheries Department here said.
The fishermen had gone for fishing from Nunambam fishing harbour in Kerala on March 13.
The engine of their mechanised boat caught fire when they were fishing at a distance of 35 nautical miles off Goa coast on March 16. Though the fire was doused, the engine was partially damaged. The fishermen shifted to another fibre boat tugged along with the mechanised boat for fishing. They managed to reach a distance of 10 nautical miles from Goa coast and contacted their family members in Kanyakumari district.
Fr. Churchill, general secretary, South Asian Fishermen Fraternity, alerted a senior official of the State government on Thursday night. The official took immediate action to rescue the fishermen through officials of the Goa government, sources in the Fisheries Department said.
The rescued fishermen were brought to Mormugoa Port Trust around 3.30 p.m. and enquired at the Vasco da Gama police station.
