Archive for territorial waters

Eritrea releases Egyptian ship captain after seven months

by admin
October 11th, 2012

Eritrean authorities released Wednesday an Egyptian ship captain who was arrested seven months ago after sailing into Eritrea's territorial waters.

According to state-run newspaper Al-Ahram, the captain, Mohamed al-Helaisy, steered the boat into Eritrean waters to mend the vessel after it broke down.

Al-Masry Al-Youm quoted the Egyptian Ambassador to Eritrea Mahmoud Nayel as saying that authorities agreed to free Helaisy in response to Egyptian Foreign Ministry requests.

Helaisy was arrested when Eritrean authorities spotted a ship flying a British flag and carrying an international crew, the ambassador said.

Privately-owned Al-Sabah newspaper reported that Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr sent a letter to his Eritrean counterpart requesting Helaisy's release. According to the paper, the Foreign Ministry contacted Helaisy's family in Cairo on a regular basis to inform them of developments.

The Egyptian Embassy staff in Eritrea accompanied Helaisy to the airport, Al-Sabah reported.

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Libya detains 90 Egyptian fishermen

by admin
August 15th, 2012

 

The Libyan authorities on Wednesday remanded 90 Egyptian fishermen into custody on charges of trespassing the territorial waters without permission.

The families of the fishermen called for both the Egyptian and Libyan authorities to release them, claiming they were arrested outside the Libyan territorial waters. The families also said that they are unable to contact the detainees.

Most Egyptian fishermen come from the city of Alexandria.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
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23 Egyptian fishermen detained in Tunisia return home

by admin
July 31st, 2012

The Egyptian embassy in Tunisia has sent 23 fishermen back to Egypt after they were detained by Tunisian authorities for entering territorial waters to fish without a license, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Amr Roshdy on Tuesday.

Crews from the Rod al-Farag and Al-Omda al-Hamshari ships left Tunisia on an Egypt Air evening flight for Cairo, while five technicians remained on the boats pending the fishing ministry’s approval. The deportation came after negotiations by Egypt's ambassador in Tunisia, Ahmer Ismail Abdel Moty.

Roshdy reiterated Foreign Ministry warnings against violating the territorial waters of neighboring countries and illegal fishing in light of the aggravated punishments against such conduct by these countries.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Categories Egypt, Egypt Top Stories
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Libyan authorities open fire on Egyptian fishing boat, detain 12 fishermen

by admin
May 22nd, 2012

Libyan authorities opened fire on the Egyptian "Eagle of the East" fishing boat, owned by Farid Farfara of Kafr El-Sheikh governorate. The authorities detained 12 fishermen, four of whom were critically wounded.

Chief fisherman Ahmed Nassar said on Tuesday that the boat sailed from Salloum a week ago, but the motor broke and it was drifted towards Libyan territorial waters. He called on Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi to intervene for the release of the fishermen.

Egyptian fishermen are often detained in the territorial waters of neighboring countries, as they frequently lack proper permits. Egypt’s natural fisheries have been in decline since the late 1990s. According to the General Authority for Fisheries Resources Development, the state agency responsible for managing Egypt’s fisheries, Mediterranean fishermen caught 81,000 tons of fish in 2009, a 10 percent decrease from the previous year.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Saudi Arabia releases Egyptian boat held over illegal fishing

by admin
May 21st, 2012

The Foreign Ministry said Monday that an Egyptian boat held by Saudi authorities for fishing illegally in Saudi territorial waters has been released.

A ministry statement said efforts made by the Egyptian consulate in Jeddah resulted in the release of Hassan Abdo, a fishing boat with a 35-man crew.

Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Ahmed Ragheb said Saudi authorities were very cooperative with the issue. He said the boat’s captain had been fined SAR10,000, though it was the third time his vessel entered Saudi waters without permission.

Ragheb added that Saudi speedboats escorted the released ship until it was out of Saudi waters. He said the Saudi coast guard commander had ordered this because the boat was too dilapidated to operate and unsafe for fisherman.

Ragheb said Saudi authorities allowed the fishermen to take half of the quantity of fish they caught on their trip.

Earlier Monday, the Foreign Ministry said the consulate in Jeddah was following the case of the boat, which was detained in the Gazan area in Saudi Arabia for sailing in the Saudi waters without permission.

Ali al-Esheiry, the Egyptian consul in Jeddah, talked with the Saudi border guard commander to ensure that the detained sailors were treated well.

Saudi authorities are considering what measures to take against the boat crew.

Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

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Egyptian fishing boat detained in Libyan territorial waters

by admin
April 16th, 2012

Libyan authorities on Monday detained an Egyptian fishing boat within its territorial waters.

“This is not the first time. We caught a Greek boat on 10 April,” said Abdel Basset al-Tashany, coordinator of the Libyan Fishermen Saraya, in a press statement, criticizing the absence of any control by the Libyan coast guard or naval forces.

“The fishermen protect the shores themselves,” he said.

The Libyan Fishermen Saraya was among the rebel forces. It is made ​​up of fishing boat owners, who were transferring arms to the rebels during their revolution.

The Libyan coast extends for some 200 kilometers, and are continuously exposed to illegal fishing and smuggling activities.

Egyptian fishing boats commonly approach Tunisian and Libyan territorial waters in a quest for better fish environments.

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