Five Sri Lankan fishermen have died after drinking from bottles they found on the high seas. It is not immediately clear what was in the bottles.
The fishermen were 320 nautical miles from Tangalle, a town on the island’s southern coast, when they saw several bottles floating in the water. The men brought the bottles on board and drank from them, reportedly thinking they contained alcohol.
But things went terribly wrong. Four of them died at sea. Two fishermen were seriously ill, but were rescued by the navy. They were taken to a nearby Singaporean merchant ship because rescue services assumed they needed treatment soon. One of them is also said to have died in the meantime. The remaining fisherman is said to be in critical condition.
An investigation is currently underway to determine what exactly was in the bottles found. Other ships in the area are also being contacted. The fishermen in question are said to have distributed several bottles.