ICG detains Iranian boat, with six Indians onboard, off Kerala coast.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) detained an Iranian fishing vessel, with six Indian crew, west 

of Beypore off the coast of Kerala. The swift sea-air coordinated operation involved the ships 

and aircraft of the ICG. The operation was carried out Sunday 5th May 2024.

After intercepting the boat, an ICG team boarded the vessel and thoroughly investigated it to 

check the involvement of any anti-national activity. Initial investigation revealed that the owner of the boat was an Iranian sponsor who had contracted these Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, and issued them Iranian Visas for fishing off the Iran coast.

The crew alleged that the sponsor ill-treated and deprived them of basic living conditions, 

besides confiscating their passports. The crew said that they had decided to escape from Iran 

to India using the same boat. The detained vessel was safely brought to Kochi for further investigation on May 06, 2024.