Transport vessel flying Belize flag detained in Sea of Okhotsk
The transport vessel “Mongoose” flying the Belize flag was detained in the Sea of Okhotsk after 20 hours of pursuit, the public relations group of the north-eastern border department of the Coast Guard of the Federal Security Service (FSB) told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.
The transport vessel, which had not given position signals, was spotted in the sea on April 21. The captain refused to fulfill the orders to examine the ship and began sailing away from the pursuit ignoring the orders of the Russian border authorities. Two cutters and a patrol vessel were involved in the chase for the violator ship. FSB aircraft made four flights during the detention operation.
Only on April 22, the transport vessel “Mongoose” stopped and allowed inspectors to conduct a check. It was found out the transport vessel was shipping the cargo for the fishing trawler “Shipunsky”, which was registered at the port of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. Then the Mongoose was to take crabmeat products from the fishing vessel in order to deliver them to a foreign port.
On April 23, the refrigerator vessel “Shipunsky” was stopped in the sea for a check. About 5.3 tonnes of poached frozen crabmeat were found aboard the Shipunsky.
