Ukraine's coast guards have detained a Turkish fishing vessel whose crew failed to show authorization to enter the country's economic zone, the Ukrainian border guard service said Saturday.

"At about 9 a.m. [14 GMT] on Friday, April 4, the Ukrainian coast guard ship Podillya discovered the fishing vessel Ozgur 50 miles to the southeast of Zmeiny Island in Ukraine's economic zone. After being ordered to stop, the schooner stopped and a supervision group boarded it," the service said.

According to preliminary data, the 15-meter schooner with four crew and a captain was registered at an Istanbul port. Two trawls and dry ice were discovered in holds, but no fish.

Turkey's coast guard, the office of the Turkish embassy's military attache, and coast guard services of Black Sea states have been informed of the incident.

Almost a year ago, Ukrainian coast guards detained another Turkish ship owned by the same person as the Ozgur. A total of 380 kg of flatfish and nets were discovered on board. After implementing a court ruling to pay a fine of $25,000 and damages, the ship was deported from Ukraine's economic zone.

RIA Novosti


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