Indonesian fishermen held by coast guard

The boat, with a catch of 1,500 kg tried to escape when it saw the coast guard ship for nearly 30 mins.

Five Indonesian fishermen who illegally entered Indian waters were apprehended and their boat impounded after a 30-minute chase by a coast guard vessel.

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The coast guard ship Kanaklata Barua sighted the Indonesian boat KM Hakiki 18 miles west-southwest off the Car Nicobar coast on Wednesday evening while it was fishing in Indian waters, Coast Guard officials said on Friday.

The boat, with a catch of 1,500 kg consisting mainly of shark, marlin and tuna, tried to escape when it saw the coast guard ship.

According to the Coast Guard ship's captain, Commandant Rajesh Makwana, the fishermen surrendered after a 30-minute chase and the firing of warning shots.

The boat was towed to Port Blair. The fishermen, from Banda Aceh in Indonesia, would be handed over to civilian authorities, the officials said.