N. Atoll, Maldives — The Maldives National Defense Force has said that their MNDF NA CG Squadron has captured a foreign fishing boat in Maldivian waters.
The foreign vessel was spotted 30 nautical miles north of N. Atoll, and was initially reported to MNDF CG MRCC at around 08:40 yesterday, by a local fishing boat “Asaree”. The vessel was fishing in Maldivian waters using buoy fishing gear and netting according to local media.
MNDF has informed that there were eight foreigners in the fishing vessel that crossed into Maldivian waters. All of these eight inidviduals along with the fishing vessel was taken to HDh. Kulhudhuffushi last night at around 01:05 according to MNDF.
Foreign fishing vessels have occasionally wandered into Maldivian waters before, and once such as vessel is spotted, the Coastguard is quick to act- either by sending them back in the right direction or bringing them ashore for further assistance or investigation if required.
The MNDF Coastguard has assisted other foreign vessels in the past, including very recently on February 3rd, when they captured a foreign fishing vessel in the Maldivian waters. Along with this, on the 4th of December, two Sri Lankan fishing vessels got lost in Maldivian waters after their boats were caught inside the tropical cyclone ‘Burevi’, causing the crews to veer off-course.
