Chennai, Oct 17 (IANS): Six Sri Lankan nationals, stranded on a dune near Arichalmunai near Tamil Nadu's Dhanushkodi, were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard on Monday morning.

The six had fled the island nation reeling under economic crisis and reached the Indian coast.

The Coast Guard handed over the six to the Coastal Marine police and are now lodged at the Mandapam refugee camp at Dhanushkodi. With the arrival of the six Sri Lankans, the number of Lankans taking refugee in India after the economic crisis in the island nation has touched 182.

The six Sri Lankans are Antony Dilakshan, 24, his wife Sanujia, 20, Sasikumar, 47, his wife Anthonyazh Fernando, and their son Sanujan, 21, and Anthony Maria Goretti, 67. Apart from Goretti who is from Mutharipputhurai, they all hail from Pesalai in Mannar district.

Coastal Marine police officers told IANS that the six Sri Lankans were ferried to Indian waters in an illegal boat from Talaimannar in Sri Lanka. The six were dropped at the sand mound and the Indian Coast Guard had to use hovercraft to rescue them.