Armed Iranian ship off the coast: Navy concerned

KOCHI: An armed ship in India’s EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) is a matter of concern, said Vice-Admiral K N Sushil, Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command. Referring to the presence of an Iranian merchant vessel anchored off the Kerala coast, the Vice Admiral said the Ministry of Defence has already launched a protest with Iran in this regard.Addressing the media on Tuesday ahead of the Navy Day, Vice Admiral K N Sushil said the Navy has been keeping a close watch on the vessel.“The merchant vessel has machine guns onboard. Their reason for having weapons is the piracy menace. However, so far there’s no EEZ violation. Technically there’s no violation of the law. No action can be taken as they are not in our territorial waters,” the Vice Admiral said.Referring to increased incidents of piracy, the Vice Admiral said there was no end in sight for piracy. Until there was a proper government in Somalia, the issue will continue. “There’s no government to take legal action. Those going in search of the Somalian tuna get trapped,” he said, adding that there were media reports about fuel being sold to fishermen in black market.The Naval ships have thwarted more than 39 piracy attempts. With the piracy-prone area expanding eastward, the Navy has made additional deployments off the eastern and north-eastern Arabian Sea.The Navy in association with other stakeholders have taken efforts to ensure coastal security of Kerala and Lakshadweep islands, he said. The Southern Naval Command has been responding to requests from civil administration for help. However, much needs to be done with quick response, he said. Last year, naval teams from the Southern Naval Command were deployed 33 times to various districts in Kerala.Asked about the recent coastal security exercise, he said an area surrounding the LNG Terminal has been declared as no-fishing zone. Similarly, the area surrounding the Single Point Mooring (SPM) has been declared as safe zone. However, fishermen are in constant violation of the zone.Asked about the activities of the Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala, he said the BTech courses at INA are on. The hospital at INA is yet to be commissioned. The Watermanship Training Centre has started functioning, though the building is yet to completed.