The death toll has tragically risen to four following an incident where the crew of a fishing vessel consumed what they assumed was liquor from bottles found floating at sea. According to the Sri Lanka Navy, two other crew members are currently in critical condition.
The Sri Lanka Navy has provided updates indicating that emergency treatment is being administered to the critically ill fishermen aboard a Singaporean merchant vessel. Plans are underway for these fishermen to be transferred to SLNS Vijayabahu for further medical attention at sea.
The Director General of the Department of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources, Susantha Kahawatta, revealed that the crew of the fishing boat named “Devon 5” encountered this dire situation after discovering multiple bottles containing an unknown liquid while at sea. Mistaking the contents for alcohol, they consumed some of it, leading to this unfortunate outcome.
Efforts are ongoing to secure the fishermen's safe return to shore, with medical teams providing emergency instructions remotely due to the vessel's remote location in deep-sea waters. Kahawatta emphasized that steps are being taken to notify nearby fishing trawlers, as some of the bottles were reportedly distributed to other vessels.
Initially reported with two fatalities and four critically ill crew members, the incident occurred approximately 320 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's coast. The Sri Lanka Navy is actively involved in towing the vessel back to land with the assistance of another craft.
