2 boats carrying 38 Chinese, Indonesian fishermen enter Indian waters via Maharashtra, probe on

Mumbai: Two boats carrying at least 38 Chinese and Indonesian fishermen entered the Indian waters, possibly as a result of rough weather, and reached Dabhol in Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, police said on Sunday.

The Maharashtra police, Customs and Maritime Board and other security agencies have initiated a probe into the incident.

So far, police have not found anything suspicious about the boats and inquiry of all the men on board is on, an official said.

“Both the boats, named FUYUANYU 61 and FUYUANYU 59, reached Dabhol coast in Ratnagiri on Thursday, following which the police, Maritime Board and other agencies were alerted,” he said.

“At least 38 Indonesian and Chinese fishermen were sailing in the two boats. A fisherman on board one of the boats had used a satellite phone, following which their presence in the Indian waters was detected,” the official added.

The boats entered Indian waters to avoid bad weather at sea, officials said.

The boats, which will now be sent to a shipyard, are likely to remain in Dabhol for the next two to three months, the police official said.

Both the boats are modern and well-equipped, he said.