Maldives Navy seizes three mechanised boats with 25 fishermen from Thoothukudi
The Maldives Navy has detained three mechanised fishing boats from Thoothukudi, India, along with 25 crew members for allegedly entering Maldivian territorial waters. Indian fisheries officials and the district administration are currently working to secure the safe release of the fishermen.
Why it matters
This incident highlights ongoing maritime border disputes and the risks faced by artisanal fishermen in the Indian Ocean region.
The Maldives Navy has seized three mechanised boats from Tharuvaikulam in the district for reportedly entering the territorial waters of the island nation in the Indian Ocean.
Three mechanised boats from Tharuvaikulam Fish Landing Centre, with 25 crew members, had gone for multi-day deep sea stay fishing on October 1. When the fishermen were fishing in the deep sea, the The Maldives Navy personnel detained these three boats, owned by A. Ramesh Kumar, S. Soosai Packiyam and S. Michael Johnson of Tharuvaikulam, for allegedly entering the territorial waters of the island nation in the early hours of Tuesday.
The detained boats were taken to an undisclosed destination, said Tharuvaikulam fishermen, who alerted the official machinery.
“We have informed Fisheries Department officials here of the detention of the three boats by The Maldives Navy,” said Antony Aniton of Tharuvaikulam.
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