In yet another instance of cross-border tension in the Palk Strait, 14 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy in the early hours of Monday for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and venturing into Sri Lankan waters. 
According to sources, the fishermen had set out from Tharangambadi in Mayiladuthurai district on Saturday evening (November 8) aboard a mechanised fishing vessel registered from Vanagiri.
The crew, who had ventured into the high seas for routine fishing operations, reportedly encountered a mechanical snag mid-sea. In an effort to repair the fault, the vessel is believed to have drifted off course and entered Sri Lankan waters near Point Pedro.