The Indian Coast Guard authorities on Tuesday handed over the Sri Lankan fishing vessel and six crew members to the Andhra Pradesh Marine police at the Kakinada port in East Godavari district.
On Sunday, the Sri Lankan fishing vessel and the crew were detained by the Coast Guard 128 nautical miles off the Kakinada coast and brought to the Kakinada port on Tuesday. The vessel was registered at Mattara in Sri Lanka. The fishing vessel set sail on June 28.
The Marine police led by Investigation Officer and Marine Circle Inspector S. Gowri Shankar received the fishing vessel and the six crew. The health condition of the crew is stable.
The six crew have been identified as Pashenadigi Jagat Priyantha (crew lead), Pala Vitanagey, Kottawa Hattige Charith Madusudhan, Ginthata Hewage Nuwan Kamal Prasad, Kuda Baduge Ujjith, Gadhi Kuchi Hey Wage Nuwan Sameer, according to Mr. Gowri Shankar.
The Coast Guard and the Marine police sold the fish catch of Tuna, that was seized from the fishing vessel, which fetched ₹33,000 during the auction.
Case booked
“Cases have been registered cases against the Sri Lankan crew under the Section 3/10 and 7/14 of the Maritime Zones of India (Regulation of fishing by foreign vessels) Act, 1981 under the Vakalapudi Marine Police limits in Kakinada,” said Mr. Gowri Shankar.
The crew would undergo the medical tests, including COVID-19 test, at the Government General Hospital in Kakinada on Wednesday before beign produced before a local court, he added.
