Between devil and Iranian deep sea

CHENNAI/NAGAPATTINAM: Indian fishermen stranded in Iran following the outbreak of coronavirus have alleged that they are being forced by Iranian boat owners to venture into the sea. There has been a rift between fishers and boat owners who have taken away supplies from certain boats, said Captain Johnson Charles, secretary for Meenavar Orunganaipu Sangam. When Express tried to reach out to Embassy officials, it was learnt that officials were unavailable as it was a public holiday in Iran.

According to Charles, there are 783 Indian fishermen, including 450 from Tamil Nadu, stuck in Iran. According to sources, the Centre is working on their evacuation along with the Government of Iran. The move comes after CM Edappadi K Palaniswami writing a letter to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar urging him to direct Indian Embassy in Iran to ensure their safe return. “It is learnt that a medical screening is going on. Once the fishermen test negative, they can be evacuated. We have received information from a Fisheries Department official,” said Charles. However, when Express contacted Sahaya Askar, a fisherman stranded in Chiruyeh, he said no such screening happened in Chiruyeh. “We are afraid the Embassy is ignoring us. We tried to reach out to the Embassy, but nobody is picking up the call,” he said. 

Helpless, confined: fishers raise sos

Sources in the Fisheries Department said the fishermen are scattered all over Iran, and that the Embassy staff may not be able to reach certain remote areas. “We will highlight the issue before the officials concerned and rescue them,” sources said. Interestingly, the fishermen have restrictions on travelling through mainland and their only hope to connect to their people is mobile phone. However, the connectivity is poor. If the Embassy has to reach out to the fishermen, officials will have to travel to Kish and Chiruyeh Islands.

This comes in the backdrop of Union Civil Aviation Minister (in-charge) Hardeep Singh Puri saying that evacuation of Indians from Iran is being planned in consultation with the Ministry of Health and the Government of Iran. ‘Not enough masks’Speaking to TNIE through WhatsApp call, G Adhitya Karikalan (29) from Vizhunthamavadi said, “We are scared to stay here. The virus is spreading to the islands where we used to fish. We do not get too many masks either. We seek help from the Indian and Tamil Nadu governments to bring us back home.” Karikalan and six others from Vizhunthamavadi have been stuck in Kish Island for a week since fishing stopped. There are fishermen from districts such as Kanniyakumari, Ramanathapuram and Cuddalore working in Iran.

Fishermen from Nagapattinam district are working in places such as Kish Dilan, Lavan Island, Sarak, Mugaam and Zero. M Arun, a 20-year-old fisherman from Chinnangudi who is working in Lavan Island with his uncle T Selvam, said, “We came here nine months ago. Our employers are keeping us in the dark. We are afraid that we will not get good treatment if we are infected.” Speaking to TNIE, joint director Amal Xavier said the Indian Embassy is in touch with the fishermen working in Iran.