Foreign vessel creates panic

KOCHI: After the Enrica Lexie episode, a foreign vessel sailing close to the Kerala coast created panic among the fishermen and the Coastal Police on Sunday.The local people of Thankassery passed on the information to the Coastal Police in the evening that a foreign vessel was found close to Neendakara shore. The Neendakara police reacted quickly and send ‘Darshana’, a surveillance boat to the foreign vessel.Reaching near the vessel, the police alerted over microphone that it was sailing near the Kerala shore. The police also gave direction to move beyond 12 NM away from the shore.“There was no provocation from the vessel. The crew obeyed the direction and moved the ship away from the Indian waters,” Neendakara Coastal Police said.However, the police said that tension prevailed for an hour as the ship sailed close to the Kerala coast.“After the Enrica Lexie and Prabhu Daya hit-and-run incidents, the Coastal Police are very vigilant. We took the information very seriously and reacted fast,” the police said. Kochi Harbour Police also confirmed the incident.According to them, a wireless message was also received that a foreign vessel was sailing within 12 NM off Neendakara coast.