Panaji, Oct 1 (PTI) The Indian Navy today said that it had spotted suspicious-looking small vessels, of the kind used by pirates, off Seychelles islands, around 700 nautical miles off Goa coast. The boats -- dhows -- had been under aerial surveillance and naval ship had been sent to probe them and neutralise if necessary, said Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai, Flag Officer Commanding, Goa Region (FOGA). The three small boats were spotted yesterday morning. We had received inputs from a merchant ship about the suspected activities. Navy's IL-38, a maritime surveillance aircraft, spotted them and we have kept a constant watch on them, he said. We have been keeping watch on them for the last 24 hours and sent a naval vessel to neutralise them.
The Indian navy had also asked merchant ships to steer clear of the spot, he said. The Navy had planned a surface operation where the troops would board the ships and check the identity of operators. If they are found to be pirates, we will catch them and bring them ashore, Pillai said. As per the initial information, two small boats were around 700 nautical miles off Goa, while the third one was 600 nautical miles off.
A senior naval official said that these boats were in the area where smaller boats were not seen usually.
Pillai said the activities of pirates increase after the monsoon, as the sea calms down. Saying that piracy has come closer to our shores, he said the Indian Navy was taking pro-active steps to ward off the menace. Earlier this year, a fast-attack craft based out of Goa successfully intercepted a pirate vessel and captured a number of pirates, he recalled.
The Indian navy had also asked merchant ships to steer clear of the spot, he said. The Navy had planned a surface operation where the troops would board the ships and check the identity of operators. If they are found to be pirates, we will catch them and bring them ashore, Pillai said. As per the initial information, two small boats were around 700 nautical miles off Goa, while the third one was 600 nautical miles off.
A senior naval official said that these boats were in the area where smaller boats were not seen usually.
Pillai said the activities of pirates increase after the monsoon, as the sea calms down. Saying that piracy has come closer to our shores, he said the Indian Navy was taking pro-active steps to ward off the menace. Earlier this year, a fast-attack craft based out of Goa successfully intercepted a pirate vessel and captured a number of pirates, he recalled.
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