KUWAIT CITY, April 17: Informed security sources said that the Coast Guard patrol boats spotted a number of Iraqi boats recently after they crossed Kuwait’s territorial waters north of Failaka Island, reports Al-Jarida daily. The daily added the boats were monitored through the marine radar system as soon as they entered the Kuwaiti waters and Coast Guard patrol and sea pursuit boats were sent to the site. The sources told Al-Jarida that the Coast Guard patrols managed to reach the marine vessels, forcing them to stop, and after checking the identities of the people on board, it was found that they were Iraqi fishing boats, and after a search the patrolmen did not find any prohibited items, or forbidden fishing tools following which the Coast Guard Command Center was informed of the situation.

The sources added the patrol command asked the patrols to make the Iraqi fishermen sign a pledge that they will not repeat the offence of entering the territorial waters, after making sure that they entered by mistake and that they are fishermen and have no other intentions. The Coast Guard administration asked the Kuwaiti navy boats to hand over the Iraqi fishermen and their boats to the Iraqi Navy in Khor Abdullah.