Russian border guards seize vessel flying Cambodian flag off coast of Primorye

Oct. 12, 2012, — by Interfax-Ukraine

The coastal guard has seized a fishing vessel flying the flag of Cambodia off the cost of Primorye.
© AP

The coastal guard has seized a fishing vessel flying the flag of Cambodia off the cost of Primorye, the press service for the Border Guard Department of the Federal Security Service for the Primorye Territory has reported.

The vessel Anteus (registered in Cambodia, owned by the company Trans Kargo Co Ltd) was seized for illegally crossing the state border and is being convoyed to the port of Nakhodka. The crew of the vessel, which consists of seven Russians and four citizens of Ukraine, are also suspected of illegal fishing.

"The patrol vessel Komandor discovered the fishing vessel Anteus in Russian territorial waters," the report says. The vessel failed to fulfill the border guards' demands to stop.

After an hour's chase, during which the Anteus crew threw the catch overboard and dismantled the fishing equipment, the vessel was stopped in an exclusive economic zone of Russia northeast of Cape Sosunov.

The crew did not have any documents confirming the legality of the vessel's presence and fishing in the Russian territorial waters.

The captain on the Anteus is accused of violating the border of the Russian Federation.