Iranian Fishing Vessel Detained by Coast Guard Near Kozhikode

The Indian Coast Guard detained an Iranian fishing vessel with six Indian crew members from Kanniyakumari, Tamil Nadu, as it was heading towards the Kerala coast west of Beypore, around 20 nautical miles from Koyilandy in Kozhikode district. The operation involved a ship and a helicopter, and the boat was later brought to Kochi for further investigations and legal proceedings.

Initial investigations revealed that the boat was owned by an Iranian sponsor who had hired the six fishermen from Kanniyakumari. The crew members reported being ill-treated and not provided with basic living conditions. Allegedly, their passports were confiscated, prompting them to escape from Iran to India using the same boat they were employed on.