Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) on Wednesday caught four foreign fishing boats trespassing on Maldivian territory.
MNDF stated that the foreign vessels were caught 140 nautical miles east of Fulidhoo, Vaavu Atoll, during a joint operation with the Indian Coast Guard. The fishing boats were spotted from a Dornier aircraft.
The vessels and their crews were taken under the custody of the Maldivian Coast Guard ship, 'Shaheed Ali', and brought to the capital Male' area on Wednesday evening.
Numerous fishing boats enter Maldivian territory every year. MNDF had caught four illegal fishing boats last March as well.