Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

Seized Lankan boat had hi-tech gadgets

CHENNAI: The sophisticated fishing boat apprehended by the Indian Coast Guard off the Puducherry coast with five Sri Lankan fishermen on board was equipped with modern communication gadgets and radar.

According to sources in Central intelligence agencies, the fishing boat Dinusha Baby (Meril Marine) was located 35 nautical miles from Puducherry and was engaged in fishing in Indian waters. On seeing the Coast Guard Ship Vikram approaching, the boat tried to flee from the scene.

However, after a brief chase — braving poor visibility and rough sea conditions due to the cyclone in the area — the boat was apprehended for violation of Maritime Zone of India Act, 1981, and for fishing in Indian Economic Zone without permit. The boat was handed over to the Chennai Police for further investigation. The boat was similar to Win Marine, the Sri Lankan fishing boat that went missing with two sailors of the Indian Coast Guard on Wednesday night, the sources said. According to Inspector-General of Coast Guard (Eastern Region) A. Rajasekhar, the fibre glass boat was “highly sophisticated,” equipped with Global Positioning System, radar and long-range wireless network capable of communicating worldwide. The boat had 2,500 litres of fuel, adequate to sustain on sea for at least one month. Presence of such boats close to the coast is a high security risk. In a separate development, fishermen in northern Tamil Nadu have sought advanced communication facilities.

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