Two Iranian fishing vessels seized on Thursday nine nautical miles off the coast of Gaaf Dhaal Fiyoaree while navigating through the Maldives' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) were released on Friday morning.
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) said that the vessels were released after no illegal items or contraband were discovered onboard during the inspection.
According to the MNDF, the vessels were intercepted and searched by the Coast Guard Fourth Squadron of the MNDF Southern Area Command within the Equatorial Channel between Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll and Fuvahmulah. The MNDF noted that the boats, which were traveling from east to west, were intercepted following a report from a local fishing vessel operating in the area.
Upon receiving the report, a joint operation was launched by the Coast Guard and the Maldives Police Service to intercept and inspect the vessels. However, the MNDF confirmed that no suspicious items were found during the search.
The MNDF further clarified that this channel is an internationally recognized route commonly used by vessels transiting through Maldivian waters.
Following the interception, the MNDF had escorted the vessels to the waters off Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo for further investigation.
Regarding the incident, a reliable source indicated that these two vessels are suspected of being involved in drug trafficking operations within the Indian Ocean region.
"Neither vessel had any fish on board, though they carried fishing nets. These are vessels strongly suspected of being involved in illicit activities," the source said.
"Therefore, since they entered Maldivian territory without authorization, the authorities could have chosen to investigate the matter under fisheries legislation if they wished to do so."
The source also confirmed that the vessels were equipped with sophisticated communication systems and were utilizing Starlink satellite technology for internet connectivity.
Despite the installation of coastal radar systems and the recent acquisition of military surveillance drones to monitor Maldivian waters, this incident follows a previous case where two vessels unidentified vessel entered and anchored near the Male' region for a week before being detected.
In this latest instance, the Iranian vessels were once again not detected by regional radar systems or official surveillance, but were instead identified and reported by a local Maldivian fishing boat.
