A passenger ferry operating between Kankesanthurai in northern Sri Lanka and Nagapattinam in India was stranded at sea for several hours on Friday night after suffering an engine failure.

According to media reports, the ferry had departed Kankesanthurai at around 2.30 p.m. and was scheduled to reach Nagapattinam within approximately four hours. However, the vessel arrived only around 10.45 p.m. after encountering rough sea conditions and a mechanical fault.

The ferry, carrying 144 passengers, developed engine trouble near Kallar, around two nautical miles off the Nagapattinam coast.

Indian authorities, along with local fishermen, were deployed to assist the stranded vessel before it was slowly towed back to port. All passengers were reported safe.