Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai, Aug 18: Devendra Fadnavis, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, claimed the suspicious boat, which was discovered off the coast of Raigad on Thursday and contained three AK-47 weapons, explosives, and ammunition, belonged to an Australian woman and was sailing from Europe to Muscat.
The boat broke down and drifted toward the Raigad coast due to high tide, the deputy chief minister further assured. The state government issued a high alert after the weapons discovered in the boat sparked a terror panic.
“The government is not ruling out a terror angle. The boat drifted due to the high tide. The boat was going from Europe to Muscat. It is owned by an Australian woman,” Fadnavis said addressing the media.
The boat belongs to an Australian citizen. Boat's engine broke out in the sea, people were rescued by a Korean boat. It has now reached Harihareshwar beach. Keeping in mind the coming festive season, police & administration have been instructed to be prepared: Maharashtra Dy CM https://t.co/L8e9Y8q6al pic.twitter.com/1cM7q6WpuN
— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2022
Local fisherman discovered a 16-meter-long boat named Ladyhan on the Raigad coast earlier in the day. Police officers checked out the boat that had weapons, and they also alerted other appropriate agencies.
According to the deputy chief minister, Hana Lordorgan, an Australian citizen, owned the armed boat, and her husband, James Hobert, served as its skipper as it travelled from Muscat to Europe.
“The boat’s engine failed and the sailors called for help. A Korean warship rescued the sailors from the boat and handed them over to Oman. The boat could not be towed due to rough seas. The information received from the Indian Coast Guard is that the boat is stranded on the Harihareshwar coast due to the under current of the sea,” Fadnavis added.
Both the local police and the anti-terrorist squad are investigating the incident and alert orders have been issued to all police units in view of the upcoming festivals, he added.
