Chennai, Jul 15 (PTI) As many as 40 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran returned home on Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu government said.

The fishermen hailed from different districts of the state including Kanyakumari, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar said in a statement.

Also Read | After Bryce Dallas Howard, Viola Davis Calls Out Their Oscar-Nominated Movie The Help, Says 'Part of Me Feels Like I Betrayed My People'.

They were employed on contract in Iran and were stranded there following the Coronavirus-induced lockdown.

Though the Government of India had deployed Indian Navy Ship Jalashwa to ferry 687 stranded Indian fishermen from Iran last month after Chief Minister K Palaniswami took up the matter with the Centre, this group could not come then, he said.

Also Read | All Departments at West Bengal Legislative Assembly to Remain Completely Closed Till July 24: Live News Breaking and Coronavirus Updates on July 15, 2020.

Following this, the state government made sustained efforts to ensure their return, Jayakumar said, adding, they arrived here today by an Air India flight.

The fishermen hailing from Kanyakumari, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Ramanathapuram and Chengelpet districts were sent to their respective destinations in separate vehicles, the minister added. PTI

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)