Indian Coast Guard rescues 7 fishermen detained by Pakistan Maritime Security Agency

Ahmedabad: The Coast Guard rescued seven Indian fishermen who were detained by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) near the maritime boundary off the Gujarat coast on Monday, reported PTI.

The Coast Guard received a distress signal on Sunday from an Indian fishing boat (IFB) operating close to the No-Fishing Zone (NFZ) that afternoon, according to an official release from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

"At approximately 3.30 pm, an ICG ship on patrol received a distress call from an Indian fishing boat operating near the NFZ. The call reported that another Indian fishing boat, Kal Bhairav, had been intercepted by a PMSA vessel, and seven Indian crew members on board had been apprehended," said the release. Acting promptly, the Coast Guard dispatched its ship to the India-Pakistan Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

Despite attempts by the PMSA vessel to evade, the ICG ship intercepted it and successfully negotiated the release of the seven fishermen. "The ICG ship was able to retrieve the seven fishermen safely, who were all found to be in stable medical condition. Unfortunately, the Indian fishing boat, Kal Bhairav, was reported to have been damaged and sunk during the incident," the release added.

The Coast Guard vessel returned to Okha harbour on Monday, where a joint investigation involving the ICG, Gujarat police, intelligence agencies, and the fisheries department commenced. The inquiry aims to examine the collision between the PMSA vessel and Kal Bhairav and the subsequent rescue operation, the release added.