Weapons On Abandoned Yacht In Maharashtra Were AK-56 Rifles: Police

The three assault rifles found on board an unmanned yacht in the Arabian sea in Maharashtra's Raigad district recently were AK-56 rifles, local police said on Monday and added 247 bullets were also seized.

Officials had earlier said three AK-47 rifles were found on board the yacht.

The 16-metre-long yacht named 'Lady Han' was found off Harihareshwar coast in Shrivardhan taluka of Raigad district on August 18.

Raigad Police have ruled out any terror angle.

"The yacht was 100-metre inside the sea from the shore when it was spotted. Some local people reached the yacht swimming. They found some papers, a box consisting of three AK-56 riffles and 247 rounds," the police said in a release.

The discovery of the weapons on the vessel had created a buzz as it came ahead of Dahi Handi and Ganesh festivals. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had also said no terror connection was prima facie found.

Police officials had earlier said three AK-47 rifles were recovered from the yacht.

On June 26, the engine of the yacht sailing from Muscat to Europe developed a snag near Oman. The crew members were lifted by the Korean Navy and handed over to the Oman Government, but the boat was left unattended in the high sea without any assistance. It drifted to Harihareshwar, the release said.

After the preliminary investigation, a case was registered by the Maharashtra ATS.

Navi Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is probing the case.

Officials of the Indian Coast Guard, Intelligence Bureau, Indian Navy, and ATS had visited the spot.

"It is difficult to bring the boat to the shore. A dog squad and a bomb detection squad inspected the yacht but nothing suspicious was found. There seems no terror connection," the Raigad Police said.

Mr Fadnavis had told the Legislative Assembly on August 18 that the vessel is owned by Hana Lordorgan, an Australian woman.

Three assault rifles, some rounds of ammunition and also documents were found on the yacht, he added.

"The woman's husband James Hobert was the captain of the vessel which was going to Europe from Muscat. Around 10 am on June 26, 2022, the yacht's engine failed and the sailors called for help," the deputy CM said.

A Korean warship rescued those on board and handed them over to Oman authorities, he said. The vessel could not be towed as the sea was rough, he added.

"The Indian Coast Guard said the boat is stranded on the Harihareshwar coast due to the sea undercurrent," he had said.

A Coast Guard official had said it is a UK-registered yacht which was sailing from Oman to Europe. It had given a distress call and people onboard were rescued by ships in the vicinity of Muscat on June 26.

The official said the weapons found on board the yacht were procured from a Dubai-based Privately Contracted Armed Maritime Security (PCAMS) company.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)