In a swift sea-air coordinated operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully intercepted and detained an Iranian fishing vessel off the Kerala coast, west of Beypore.
The boat has been brought to Kochi, Kerala for further investigations.
”The detention of a foreign fishing boat by the ICG, with (six) Indian crew onboard, once again highlights the complexities of maritime security and the challenges being faced by any maritime law enforcement agency in preventing illegal activities at sea.
This incident underscores the ICG’s ongoing efforts to safeguard India’s maritime borders and maintain law and order in maritime zones of India,” the ICG said in a press release.
During the operation, the boat was thoroughly checked by the ICG team to verify whether it was involved in any anti-national activity.
Investigations revealed that the boat is owned by an Iranian sponsor named Syed Saud Ansari, who had employed six Indian fishermen (from Kanyakumari region in Tamil Nadu) by issuing them Iranian Visas for fishing off Iran Coast in his boat.
The crew alleged that the sponsor had been ill-treating them and not providing them with even basic living conditions. Further, they also alleged that the sponsor confiscated their passports. The crew subsequently decided to escape from Iran to India using the same boat.