Karachi-bound ship with explosives to be probed

KOLKATA - The Karachi-bound ship with explosives from Bangladesh and intercepted on the Hooghly will be brought to the Kolkata dock for a thorough investigation, police said Saturday.

The defence, external affairs and home ministries have been informed about the ship, which was carrying rocket launchers, smoke bombs and anti-aircraft guns, said a Coast Guard Commandant.

‘Agean Glory’, registered in Liberia, was loaded at Monrovia port in Liberia, according to the documents showed by the captain to the security personnel.

The ship sailed to Cox Bazar port in Chittagong to unload some cars before coming to India. The vessel’s next port of call was Karachi.

The captain of the ship is from Greece while 19 crew members are from Romania, Ukraine and Greece, officials said.

The 152.35 m long vessel, slated to unload a part of its cargo in Kolkata, had anchored at the Sandhead in the Bay of Bengal Friday afternoon.

Later, the ship arrived at the Sagar islands, where a pilot boarded the ship to guide it.

When the pilot asked the captain about the nature of the cargo, he replied that apart from container and cars, the vessel was carrying military cargo - grade one-1 explosive.

“The port security officers along with Customs, navy and Coast Guard personnel checked the vessel and found it was carrying explosives like rocket launchers, smoke bombs and anti-aircraft guns apart from other sophisticated arms and ammunitions despite having no necessary clearances for carrying such cargo,” the Coast Guard official said.

The ship was then intercepted on the Hooghly river channel at Diamond Harbour.

It was learnt that the city-based shipping agent had given a declaration to the port authorities that the ship would unload a container cargo and some vehicles, said a Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) official.

“The agent said he was unaware of the explosives,” said a police officer.

The security personnel said the crew members made several contradictory statements.

“It has been decided to take the ship to the Kolkata Dock System, where the security personnel will thoroughly check the cargo. The defence and home ministries have been informed. A team comprising defence personnel may visit the ship for investigation,” the official said.