Yemen seizes Iranian ship, fishing on its shores

Yemeni authorities announced on Monday that they detected an Iranian ship practicing illegal fishing in Yemen’s national coasts near the Gulf of Aden in Southern Yemen.

Yemen News Agency SABA, affiliated to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi’s government, quoted naval commander in Socotra Island Colonel Ali Salmeen saying that a military battalion seized an Iranian ship while it was illegally fishing in the Yemeni waters near to Abd All-Kuri and Samhah islands in Socotra archipelago province.

Salmeen added that the ship was transferred to Socotra, after being seized, and was handed over to the leader of the first infantry marine, in preparation for investigating with passengers and taking legal actions.

The Yemeni official did not reveal about the number of people who were on board of the Iranian ship. Also, there has been no response from Tehran following the accusations.

The Yemeni Minister of Fisheries Fahd Kafain had said in previous statements that Iranian ships rolled into Yemeni waters proactively near to Abd All-Kuri and Samhah islands in the south-west of Socotra archipelago.  He described the action as an encroach on Yemeni waters, flagrant violation of international law, and damaging the marine resources.