Death toll rises to four as fishermen fall victim to ‘unknown substance’ at sea
June 30, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lanka Navy has confirmed that the death toll has risen to four following a tragic incident involving fishermen who consumed what reports claimed as ‘an unknown substance’ found floating in the sea.
This unfortunate event has left the small fishing community of Tangalle in mourning as they come to terms with the loss of their fellow fishermen.
The incident took place yesterday (29), approximately 320 nautical miles (592.64 kilometres) off the coast of Sri Lanka.
Six members of a fishing crew from Tangalle discovered a bottle floating in the water and, believing it to contain alcohol, consumed its contents.
Shortly after, they began experiencing severe symptoms.
Four of the six fishermen have since died from the speculated unknown substance, with the Sri Lanka Navy confirming their deaths.
The remaining two crew members are in critical condition and have been receiving emergency treatment aboard a Singaporean merchant vessel that was in the vicinity.
The Sri Lanka Navy responded swiftly to the situation, coordinating with the merchant vessel to ensure that the critically ill fishermen received immediate medical attention.
The Navy has also initiated an investigation to determine the nature of the substance and how it ended up in the sea.
Navy spokesperson, Captain Indika De Silva, expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased fishermen and emphasised the importance of exercising caution when encountering unknown substances.
“This is a tragic reminder of the dangers that our fishermen face every day. We urge all fishing communities to be vigilant and report any suspicious objects or substances they come across while at sea,” he said.
The incident has sparked concern among local fishing communities and authorities alike. The Ministry of Fisheries has announced that it will collaborate with the Sri Lanka Navy and other relevant agencies to conduct a thorough probe.
In the meantime, the Ministry has issued a warning to all fishermen to avoid consuming any unidentified substances they may find while fishing.
This tragedy has highlighted the need for increased awareness and safety measures within the fishing industry.
As the probe continues, authorities hope to uncover the source of the harmful substance and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
With Social Media widely providing platform for conspiracy theorists to speculate what was discovered at sea calling it an elaborate attempt to spread an engineered contagion, authorities urge the public to stick to the facts until the true nature of the containment of the bottle is revealed.
