TN: Detained vessel released after inquiry

The Jeddah-bound vessel from Singapore, which was detained on October 2, by Coast Guard, was released after a thorough inquiry by officials from Customs, Coastal Security, Intelligence Bureau and police.

"All the documents pertaining to the vessel, which was stranded in the sensitive Koodankulam coast where atomic power station was located, were found genuine," Udhal Singh, Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard station in Tuticorin said on Sunday.

"The crew members were not aware about the sensitive nature of the area and they anchored the vessel only to escape from the rough sea," he said. Though the vessel, which started from Singapore on September 19 was stranded off Koodankulam on September 30, officials came to know about it only on October 1. The vessel "Petro Link", belonging to Baltic Shipping Corporation, Singapore, was brought to Tuticorin from Koodamkulam on Friday to conducting an investigation. It was carrying workers of an oil company in Jeddah. Coast guard officials denied reports that the officials of the vessel had purchased fuel from local fishermen.

The inquiry report had been sent to the Centre and only after getting clearance from concerned officials the vessel was released on Saturday, the sources said.