KOCHI: In a swift sea-air coordinated operation, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) on Sunday intercepted and detained a Iranian fishing vessel off Beypore while it was heading towards the Kerala coast with six Indians on board.
Initial investigation revealed that the boat is owned by an Iranian sponsor, who had contracted the six fishermen—from Kanyakumari — by issuing them visas for fishing off Iran coast in his boat since March 26 last year.
According to officials, the crew said the sponsor had been ill-treating them since the day they were hired and had not provided them with basic living conditions. They also accused the sponsor — named Syed Saud Ansari — of having confiscated their passports. The crew subsequently decided to escape from Iran to India using the same boat, the officials said.
Indian Coast Guard ship Abhinav C-404 and an Advanced Light Helicopter were used in the operation.
“The apprehended boat is being brought to Kochi for further investigation and legal proceedings. The apprehension of a foreign fishing boat by the ICG with Indian crew on board 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,” said an official.
The boat was thoroughly examined by the Coast Guard team for any anti-national activity.