Coast Guard detains Iran boat, rescues 6 Indian crew

NEW DELHI: An Iranian fishing vessel has been detained by Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off the coast of Kerala after its six-member Indian crew complained of exploitation and mistreatment by the boat's owner. After the ICG intercepted the fishing vessel west of Beypore in a swift sea-air operation late on Sunday night, a team boarded the boat to check for "any anti-national activity", officials said on Monday.
"Initial investigation shows the Iranian boat owner had contracted six fishermen from Kanyakumari and issued them Iranian visas for fishing off the Iranian coast in March," an official said. "The crew alleged their Iranian sponsor ill-treated them, depriving them of basic living conditions, and confiscated their passports. They said they had decided to escape from Iran to India using the same boat. The vessel was brought to Kochi for further investigation on Monday," he added.
The interception reinforces the importance of maintaining maritime security and upholding the rights and welfare of crew members operating in international waters, the official said.