NEW DELHI: The Indian Coast Guard intercepted and detained a foreign fishing vessel of Iranian nationality off the Kerala coast, west of Beypore, on Monday. Operated by an Indian crew, the boat was apprehended in a multi-domain operation involving sea and air coordination, with Coast Guard ships and aircraft committing to the mission.
Maintaining a heightened security level, “The boat was boarded by CG boarding team,” stated the ICG in a release.
The ICG stated, “Initial investigations found that the boat is owned by an Iranian sponsor named Syed Saud Ansari, who had contracted 06 Indian fishermen (from the Kanyakumari region in Tamil Nadu) by issuing them Iranian Visas for fishing off the Iranian Coast in his boat since 26 Mar 23.
“The crew alleged that the sponsor had been ill-treating them and had not provided them with basic living conditions. Further, they also alleged that the sponsor has confiscated their passports. The crew subsequently decided to escape from Iran to India using the same boat, where they were working as fishermen,” added the ICG.
The boat has been brought to Kochi, Kerala, for further investigations and legal proceedings, “underscoring the Indian Coast Guard’s commitment to adhere to due process. This incident serves as a reminder of the constant vigil required to safeguard India’s maritime border,” said the ICG in the release.