Five Tamil Nadu Fishermen Stranded In Somalia Seek Rescue, Allege Starvation
According to the fishermen, they initially worked on deep-sea fishing boats for a few months but were not paid for their labour.
Published : June 30, 2026 at 7:33 PM IST
Ramanathapuram: Five fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram district have shared a video appeal from Somalia, sharing that they are facing severe food shortages and life-threatening conditions after being taken to the African nation for fishing work.
The fishermen, identified as Sundaram, Nagaselvam, Kannan, Ramesh, and Kalieswaran, were allegedly taken to Somalia by agents Veerapandian and Samayakannan from Thiruppalaikudi for employment in the fishing sector.
According to the fishermen, they initially worked on deep-sea fishing boats for a few months but were not paid for their labour. They further alleged that they were later denied fishing work altogether.
The men said they are now working as daily wage labourers in Somalia to survive, but are not able to secure enough food. The fishermen appealed for immediate help and rescue. "We are struggling here without food. If this situation continues, we will die of starvation. If anything happens to us, Agent Veerapandian, who brought us here, is responsible. Please help rescue us and bring us back to Tamil Nadu somehow," one of the fishermen said in the video.
The fishermen also alleged that the agents who took them to Somalia, including Veerapandian and Samayakannan, have already returned to their hometowns in Tamil Nadu.
Meanwhile, the wives of the stranded fishermen met the Ramanathapuram District Collector on Tuesday and submitted a petition seeking the intervention of the state and central governments to rescue their husbands and facilitate their return to India.
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