ID :
76803
Tue, 08/25/2009 - 12:13
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/76803
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Seized ship inspected for second time at Kakinada port
New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) The seized North Korean ship was
Monday inspected for the second time for any trace of nuclear
material after it reached Kakinada port in India's southern
state of Andhra Pradesh.
During its preliminary probe, a team of nuclear
scientists from Kalapakkam ruled out prima facie any existence
of any "CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear)
traces" in the ship, which was earlier inspected at Port Blair
where it dropped anchor off Hut Bay island on August six
without permission.
However, a final scientific test would again be conducted
after the ship carrying nearly 3.30 lakh gunny bags of sugar
weighing 16,500 metric tonnes would be off-loaded from MV Mu
San, official sources said.
The scientists had conducted a test for CBRN in Port
Blair but found nothing in the ship carrying 39-member crew,
including a North Korean government official.
During the initial round of questioning of the captain,
made possible with the help of a local interpreter in Andaman
and Nicobar Island, it emerged that the ship was on its way to
Iraq after loading sugar in Thailand, they said.
The journey of the ship to Iraq raised suspicion among
security agencies as the US would not have hired a North
Korean ship for transporting anything to Iraq after the UN
imposed sanctions on it in June this year following conduct of
nuclear tests on May 25 this year.
UN sanctions imposed on North Korea are tougher than the
earlier ones which include provisions for inspection of North
Korean ships in ports and on high seas, a tighter ban on arms
exports, and curbing loans and money transfers to that
country.
The track record of the ship shows that it had anchored
at Kandla port in January this year and has been frequently
sailing between China and Pakistan, the sources said, adding
the security agencies were now trying to ascertain the purpose
of its visit to India and the agents who had handled the
load at that time.
The seized ship, detained by the coastguard after an over
six-hour chase, is also likely to be booked under the Indian
Maritime Act for entering the Indian waters illegally. PTI
Monday inspected for the second time for any trace of nuclear
material after it reached Kakinada port in India's southern
state of Andhra Pradesh.
During its preliminary probe, a team of nuclear
scientists from Kalapakkam ruled out prima facie any existence
of any "CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radioactive and Nuclear)
traces" in the ship, which was earlier inspected at Port Blair
where it dropped anchor off Hut Bay island on August six
without permission.
However, a final scientific test would again be conducted
after the ship carrying nearly 3.30 lakh gunny bags of sugar
weighing 16,500 metric tonnes would be off-loaded from MV Mu
San, official sources said.
The scientists had conducted a test for CBRN in Port
Blair but found nothing in the ship carrying 39-member crew,
including a North Korean government official.
During the initial round of questioning of the captain,
made possible with the help of a local interpreter in Andaman
and Nicobar Island, it emerged that the ship was on its way to
Iraq after loading sugar in Thailand, they said.
The journey of the ship to Iraq raised suspicion among
security agencies as the US would not have hired a North
Korean ship for transporting anything to Iraq after the UN
imposed sanctions on it in June this year following conduct of
nuclear tests on May 25 this year.
UN sanctions imposed on North Korea are tougher than the
earlier ones which include provisions for inspection of North
Korean ships in ports and on high seas, a tighter ban on arms
exports, and curbing loans and money transfers to that
country.
The track record of the ship shows that it had anchored
at Kandla port in January this year and has been frequently
sailing between China and Pakistan, the sources said, adding
the security agencies were now trying to ascertain the purpose
of its visit to India and the agents who had handled the
load at that time.
The seized ship, detained by the coastguard after an over
six-hour chase, is also likely to be booked under the Indian
Maritime Act for entering the Indian waters illegally. PTI
