Pakistan captures 2 boats with 12 Indian fishermen off Gujarat coast

AHMEDABAD: The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (MSA) apprehended 12 Indian fishermen and seized their two boats near the International Maritime Boundary this afternoon, a Porbandar-based NGO claimed.

The incident comes close on the heels of the Indian Coast Guard intercepting a Pakistani fishing boat off the coast of Gujarat. The boat, which was said to be carrying explosives, was intercepted on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 around 365-km off the Porbandar coast, before it exploded and caught fire and sunk with four crew members on board.

"The Pakistan Maritime Security Agency apprehended 12 Indian fishermen alongwith two boats off the Gujarat coast in the Arabian sea this afternoon," co-ordinator of Porbandar- based NGO 'Sagar Bharati', Jivan Jungi said.

He, however, said that the origin of these boats was still unclear.

"After returning to the coast, some of the Porbandar- based fishermen told us that the Pakistani agency captured two boats and took them to Karachi port. We are trying to acquire more details about the abducted fishermen and trying to find out from where these boats headed to the sea," he said.

According to Coast Guard Commander for Gujarat Region (North-West) Kuldip Singh Sheoran, the latest incident is still under investigation.

"We are yet to verify the incident of the two fishing boats being captured by Paksitan marine agency. We are investigating the matter," he said.