The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Dhow apprehended at sea

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Dhow apprehended at sea

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: The Indian Coast Guard and the Marine Enforcement wing apprehended a dhow at sea on Thursday.

Spotted by a Marine Enforcement boat off the Kovalam beach, the dhow sped away with the boat in hot pursuit. Meanwhile, on receiving information about the incident, the Coast Guard unit at Vizhinjam alerted its base in Kochi and a Dornier aircraft took off to join the chase.

The aircraft circled low over the dhow and radioed the crew to stop. The Marine Enforcement boat caught up with the dhow as it slowed down and started escorting it to the Vizhinjam harbour.

Coast Guard Commandant P.K. Misra said the dhow was not a fishing vessel.

“Though capable of carrying cargo, it was empty. The Tamil-speaking crew of the dhow could not comprehend the messages issued by the Marine Enforcement officials. “We found that the Dhow was going from Cudalloor in Tamil Nadu to Gujarat. Almost all the 15 persons on board are illiterate. This, it seems, is why they could not comprehend the instructions that were given to them,” he said.

The interrogation of the dhow’s crew continued past midnight on Thursday.

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