The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat named ‘Yaseen’ with ten crew members in Indian territorial waters in the Arabian Sea off the Gujarat coast.
The boat was intercepted by the ICG vessel ‘Ankit’ during an operational patrol on Saturday night, an ICG statement said.
On being intercepted and questioned, the crew members of the boat failed to justify their presence in Indian waters. Moreover, the crew members tried to flee, heading the trawler towards Pakistani waters, but they were cornered and apprehended with quick response by the ICG ship.
The Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Ankit’ apprehended a Pakistani boat 'Yaseen' with 10 crew in Indian waters at Arabian Sea during night operations on January 8, 2022. Photo: Twitter/@DefencePRO_Guj
During a search of the boat, ICG personnel found around 2,000 kg fish and 600 litres of diesel, which was seized.
The boat is registered at Keti Bandar in Pakistan.
The apprehended boat with its ten crew members is presently being towed to Porbandar for detailed investigation and joint interrogation of its crew.
“Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Ankit’ during an operational patrol at the Arabian Sea apprehended a Pakistani fishing boat ‘Yaseen’ along with 10 Pakistani crew, operating in Indian waters during the intervening night of January 8, 2022,” the ICG said in a release.
Sometimes, Pakistani fishing boats cross the notional international maritime boundary line and enter Indian territorial waters during fishing expeditions.
Lately, there have been several instances of fishing boats being used to smuggle contraband drugs via the Gujarat coast.
