Suspicious Pak boat off Raigad coast turns out to be buoy | Mumbai News

Navi Mumbai: Raigad police beefed up security along the coastline after the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Delhi informed the ICG at Murud in Raigad district that a suspicious ‘Pakistani’ fishing boat has been spotted in the Arabian Sea about 3 nautical miles near Korlai Fort in Murud taluka on Sunday around 9pm. However, after a police probe, it was learnt that it was not a boat but a fishing net buoy or floater, which is attached to a fishing boat to keep the net afloat. The buoy had accidentally detached from some fishing boat and drifted away about five months ago, said Raigad superintendent of police Anchal Dalal.As GPS trackers are usually installed in buoys used for fishing activity, efforts are being taken to trace it. The ICG, along with helicopters, and more than 600 police personnel are also patrolling the coastline to trace the buoy.A similar incident was reported by the ICG on Jan 3 off the Okha coast in Gujarat.On Sunday, the ICG Murud received information from ICG Delhi that a suspicious Pakistani boat, ‘Muqadar Boya 99′, with registered number MMSI-463800411 was spotted 2.5 to 3 nautical miles in the Arabian Sea. Raigad police immediately set into action. Two teams of Rapid Response Force and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad were despatched with instructions to carry out patrolling and search operations. A total of 19 armed cops were deployed at various checkpoints in the coastal and creek areas. All vehicles were checked during nakabandi, and even hotels, lodges and resorts were checked. Instructions were also given to local fishermen and citizens to look out for suspicious boats.“Following the information received, efforts were made to locate the missing boat in coordination with the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Maharashtra Maritime Board, Customs department, and fisheries department. We have now sought information on the fishing net buoy from the agencies,” Dalal said. Navi Mumbai: Raigad police beefed up security along the coastline after the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Delhi informed the ICG at Murud in Raigad district that a suspicious ‘Pakistani’ fishing boat has been spotted in the Arabian Sea about 3 nautical miles near Korlai Fort in Murud taluka on Sunday around 9pm. However, after a police probe, it was learnt that it was not a boat but a fishing net buoy or floater, which is attached to a fishing boat to keep the net afloat. The buoy had accidentally detached from some fishing boat and drifted away about five months ago, said Raigad superintendent of police Anchal Dalal.As GPS trackers are usually installed in buoys used for fishing activity, efforts are being taken to trace it. The ICG, along with helicopters, and more than 600 police personnel are also patrolling the coastline to trace the buoy.A similar incident was reported by the ICG on Jan 3 off the Okha coast in Gujarat.On Sunday, the ICG Murud received information from ICG Delhi that a suspicious Pakistani boat, ‘Muqadar Boya 99′, with registered number MMSI-463800411 was spotted 2.5 to 3 nautical miles in the Arabian Sea. Raigad police immediately set into action. Two teams of Rapid Response Force and Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad were despatched with instructions to carry out patrolling and search operations. A total of 19 armed cops were deployed at various checkpoints in the coastal and creek areas. All vehicles were checked during nakabandi, and even hotels, lodges and resorts were checked. Instructions were also given to local fishermen and citizens to look out for suspicious boats.“Following the information received, efforts were made to locate the missing boat in coordination with the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, Maharashtra Maritime Board, Customs department, and fisheries department. We have now sought information on the fishing net buoy from the agencies,” Dalal said.