Georgian Coast Guard Detains Two Vessels in Abkhazia

The Georgian Coast Guard detained two fishing vessels, one sailing under the Russian and another under the Ukrainian flags, in the Abkhaz section of Georgia?s territorial waters on January 10, Badri Bitsadze, commander of the Georgian Border Police, said.

?The territorial waters and ports of Abkhaz Autonomous Republic are closed under the Georgian legislation and any marine activities are illegal,? Bitsadze said at a news conference on January 10.

All the crew members from the both vessels ? a total of 16 men ? have been arrested and face criminal charges for violating state borders and illegal fishing, he said.

The six crew members from the vessel sailing under the Russian flag are Russian citizens, according to the Border Police. The ten crew members from the vessel sailing under the Ukrainian flag ?are apparently Ukrainian citizens,? the Border police said in a statement.

The Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress reported that the vessels were detained by two Georgian coast guard patrol boats near the Gali district of the breakaway region.

A total of 22 vessels have been detained by the Georgian side in the Abkhaz section of Georgia’s territorial waters in the past two years, according to the Georgian Border Police.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)