No incriminating cargo found onboard North Korean ship: Navy

Kozhikode (Kerala), Oct 4 (PTI) A North Korean ship,
sailing to a Pakistani port, detained by the Coast Guard and
the Navy after it was found anchored in Indian territorial
waters off Vatakara coast without permission, is likely to be
released as officials have not found any objectional cargo on
board.

"The investigating team did not find any incriminating
cargo or evidence on board. Accordingly, the procedures for
the vessel to leave Indian waters are being initiated", Navy
sources said here on Sunday.

The authorities, who inspected the vessel, which had set
sail from Colombo to the Pakistani port of Bin Qasim near
Karachi, had confirmed that the claims of the ship crew were
genuine, the sources said in Kochi.

The crew had cited internal leak in its tank as reason
for anchoring in Indian waters, they said. The ship 'Hyang Ro'
owned by the Sinhung Shipping of North Korea, has a crew of
44.

A joint team comprising Indian Navy, Coastguard,
Intelligence agencies, police and port authorities completed
their investigations of the ship, which had anchored without
mandatory clearance on October 2, about 35 kms off Vatakara
coast, the sources said.

Information about the ship was given by local fishermen.

In a joint operation, the ship was surrounded and
detained by two Coastguard ships and a Navy vessel and the
crew was questioned. It was joined by police and state marine
force also, a senior Coastguard official said. PTI TKK
RAI


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