Nagapattinam-Kankesanthurai passenger ferry arrives at Nagapattinam port after delay due to engine failure on Friday (May 8, 2026). Passengers were assisted by medical teams when disembarking. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Engine failure and rough seas delayed the arrival of a passenger ferry service from Kankesanthurai to Nagapattinam by more than four hours on Friday (May 8, 2026) night, causing anxious moments for relatives waiting at the Nagapattinam port.
The ferry, which left Kankesanthurai at 2.30 pm, finally reached Nagapattinam port around 10.45 pm, taking over eight hours for the journey that usually takes about four hours.
The vessel was carrying 144 passengers, including about 45 foreign nationals. According to sources, the ferry suffered an engine failure near Kallar, about two nautical miles off the coast of Nagapattinam, and remained stranded at sea for some time amid rough weather conditions.
After the authorities were alerted, fishermen from the coast were pressed into service to assist the vessel. The ferry was later slowly towed towards the harbor and arrived safely late at night.
Passengers slowly disembarked from the ferry after it arrived late at Nagapattinam port around 4:30 on Friday evening. Medical assistance was provided to the sick.
Nagapattinam–Kankesanthurai passenger ferry arrives at Nagapattinam port after… pic.twitter.com/x72lvXyBON
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Sundararaj Ponnusamy, chairman and managing director of Subham Group, which runs the service, told The Hindu that the incident was a “rare case” caused by an engine malfunction. “The weather is rough and this was a rare case. We immediately informed all relevant authorities and arranged for fishermen to assist in towing the vessel. The ferry was safely brought to Nagapattinam port and all passengers inside were safe,” he said.
The ferry service between Nagapattinam and Kankesanthurai, which was restarted to enhance passenger connectivity between Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka, has become a key transport link for tourists, pilgrims and families traveling between the two regions.
Published – 08 May 2026 23:08 IST
