A co-ordinated operation Indian Coast Guard vessels and aircraft has resulted in the detention of a fishing vessel off the coast of Kerala, which the crew had made off with to escape poor conditions fishing in Iranian waters and to sail home.
According to the Indian Coast Guard, the detention of a foreign fishing vessel with an Indian crew on board, highlights the complexities of maritime security and the challenges being faced by any maritime law enforcement agency.
‘This incident underscores the ICG’s ongoing efforts to safeguard India’s maritime borders and maintain law and order in Maritime Zones of India,’ a Coast Guard representative stated, adding that the vessel has been brought to Kochi in Kerala for further investigation.
A Coast Guard boarding team found that while the vessel is Iranian, the six crew are Indian nationals, and the vessel was checked thoroughly for indications of any hostile activities.
Subsequent initial investigation reveled that the boat is owned by Syed Saud Ansari, an Iranian national, who had contracted six Indian fishermen from the Kanyakumari region in Tamilnadu, by sponsoring for them Iranian visas for fishing off the coast of Iran.
The crew alleged that the sponsor treated them badly, failing to provide basic living conditions. They also claimed that the sponsor has confiscated their passports.
As a result, the fishing vessel’s crew opted to abscond as a group, taking the boat home to India from Iran.
