BOAT with WEAPONS found in Raigad belongs to Australian; Maharashtra govt says 'No TERROR...'

MUMBAI: The mystery surrounding the suspicious speedboat with arms and ammunition, which washed ashore on the Harihareshwar Beach in Raigad, has been cleared and it belongs to an Australian couple, the Maharashtra government said here on Thursday. The speedboat, named `Ladyhaan` is owned by the Australian woman Hannah Laundergun and her husband James Horbert was sailing it.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the speedboat was scheduled to sail from Oman to Europe. On June 26, around 10 AM, the speedboat suffered an engine failure and the crew called for help, and after 3 hours the same day, a Korean warship picked up the boat crew and dropped them off to Oman.

Owing to the rough seas, the couple could not arrange to tow the vessel and after remaining astray for nearly seven weeks, in the Arabian Sea waters, it finally landed up Harihareshwar Beach today. Fadnavis said that the Raigad Police have recovered 3 AK-47 guns and some quantities of ammunition from the speedboat.

"The issue is being probed by the Raigad Police and Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad, and in view of past incidents, the police are put on high alert," said Fadnavis.

Various central agencies including the Indian Coast Guard have also been informed and further investigations are on. 

The clarification came after a suspicious boat with three AK-47 rifles and bullets was found off the Raigad coast in Maharashtra on Thursday. Some locals spotted the boat, having no crew member, in the Shrivardhan area, located more than 190 km from Mumbai, and alerted security agencies. Raigad Superintendent of Police Ashok Dudhe and other senior officials rushed to the spot and searched the boat. Three AK-47 rifles and some bullets were found on the boat and the police were conducting further investigation, the officials said.

“An unidentified boat was found at Harihareshwar Beach and a lifeboat found at Bharadkhol in Raigad district. Nobody is present on either of them. Coast Guard and Maharashtra Maritime Board have been informed of the same. Police Department is taking the necessary action,” the Raigad police said.

An unidentified boat found at Harihareshwar Beach and a lifeboat found at Bharadkhol in Raigad district. Nobody is present on either of them. Coast Guard and Maharashtra Maritime Board have been informed of the same. Police Department is taking the necessary action: Local Police pic.twitter.com/gaDoFWPPvL

— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2022

According to officials, the crew members of this boat had been rescued in June this year near the Oman coast. The police said the boat came floating to the Raigad coast. A Maharashtra ATS team was immediately moved to Raigad, where the suspicious boat with weapons was found at Harihareshwar Beach and security was tightened in Raigad district.