(UDHAYAM, TAMIL NADU) – Seven Sri Lankan fishermen on board a vessel were apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel off Thoothukudi station on Tuesday on charge of illegal fishing in Indian waters under the Maritime Zones of India Act.
Sources told The Hindu here on Wednesday that the apprehended fishermen would be brought to the shore here around 12.30 a.m. on Thursday.
They were alleged to have strayed into the Indian waters after crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Vaibhav’, during its exclusive economic zone security patrol operation, spotted the Lankan fishermen straying into the Indian waters at about 150 nautical miles off Kanniyakumari coast around 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
Around 350 tonnes of seafood was also seized along with the vessel named ‘Kuvisha Putha’.
On receiving information about the apprehension of the Lankan fishermen, ICGS Aadesh, another patrol vessel, sailed off the Thoothukudi ICG station to bring them to the Thoothukudi coast. The apprehended fishermen would be handed over jointly to Coastal Security Group personnel and the Fisheries Department officials for further course of action.