Vessel En-Route from Abkhazia Seized

The Georgian coast guard detained a Turkish vessel en route from Abkhazia on July 6, the Georgian Border Guard Police (BGP) has confirmed.

The vessel, flying the Cambodian flag, was seized in Turkey’s exclusive economic zone after a chase, according to the BGP.

It said that the vessel, loaded with coal, was en-route from Ochamchire, south-east of Sokhumi.

The authorities in Sokhumi have condemned the seizure, labelling it ?provocative.?

The Georgian Border Police justified the seizure, saying that ?the territorial waters and ports of the Abkhaz Autonomous Republic are closed under Georgian legislation and any marine activities are illegal.?

In May, the Georgian coast guard seized a vessel in the Abkhaz section of Georgia?s territorial waters. The vessel was subsequently sold at auction on July 5 for GEL 163,000 (about USD 97,000).

Twenty five vessels have been detained by the coast guard in the Abkhaz section of Georgia’s territorial waters in the past two years, according to the Georgian Border Police.

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