FISHERMEN DIE AFTER DRINKING FROM BOTTLES FOUND AT SEA

Four Sri Lankan men have died after drinking liquid from bottles they found at sea. Two others are critically ill in hospital.

The bottles were floating 320 nautical miles from Tangalle on the southern coast of the island.

It’s believed the men thought the bottles contained alcohol.

The Sri Lanka Navy feared that the men wouldn’t make it to shore on time and started to treat them on board. The Devon, the fishermen’s ship, has since been towed to land and the surviving men have been admitted to hospital.

Susantha Kahawatte, Director General of the Sri Lankan Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, told media outlets that the fishermen had distributed some of the bottles to other crews operating in the area.

While authorities are investigating the unknown liquid, other crews in the area are being notified of the situation and that they shouldn’t drink the contents of the bottles.

Image credit: China Daily