Myanmar bamboo raft washes ashore near Vedaranyam

The bamboo raft suspected to be from Myanmar washed ashore near Pushpavanam fishing village in Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district. 
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

A bamboo raft suspected to be from Myanmar was washed ashore at Pushpavanam fishing village near Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district on Monday morning. The Vedaranyam Marine Police have registered a case.

The raft, which might have been used for fishing, measures 40 feet in length, 15 feet in width, and 8 feet in height. It features a thatched shelter made of palm leaves, approximately 6 feet by 4 feet, seemingly designed to provide temporary refuge during rain. Items onboard included two sacks of poultry feed, typically used as bait for fishing, weighing about 30 kg.

Severe weather, including rough seas and the aftermath of recent floods in Myanmar, may have pushed the raft over 1,000 nautical miles into Indian waters, sources said. Investigations are under way to trace its origin and how it drifted ashore.

On December 6, four Myanmar fishermen were rescued from a raft by the Indian Coast Guard after they were stranded at sea for nearly three weeks. The fishermen were brought to Nagapattinam port for further proceedings.

Of the four, two fishermen — Kyi Lucin, 58, and Win Zaw, 48, — have been admitted to the Tiruvarur Government Medical College Hospital for treatment while the other two were produced before the Chennai Metropolitan Court. Sources indicate that the Myanmar Embassy had been notified and once the fishermen were discharged from hospital, they would be produced before the court.