(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Kozhikode: The Coast Guard apprehended an Iranian fishing vessel with six Indian crew members near Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu on Sunday (May 05). The vessel was intercepted as it was heading towards the Kerala coast, specifically west of Beypore, approximately 20 nautical miles from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district. Indian Coast Guard ship Abhinav C-404 and an Advanced Light Helicopter were used in the operation.
Subsequently, the boat was transported to Kochi for additional investigations and legal procedures.
Initial investigations conducted by the Coast Guard team uncovered that an Iranian sponsor named Syed Saud Ansari owned the boat. This sponsor had hired the six fishermen from Kanyakumari under a contract, providing them with Iranian visas to engage in fishing activities off the coast of Iran using his boat.
According to reports, the crew members informed the Coast Guard that they had been subjected to mistreatment since the day they were hired. They claimed they were not provided with basic living conditions and that their passports were confiscated. Subsequently, the fishermen decided to escape from Iran to India using the boat they were employed on.
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