KARACHI, Jan 2: The mystery of a missing Pakistani boat with 11 crewmen on board, which sailed out on a fishing trip more than four months back, has been resolved, it is learnt from fisheries sources here.

Latest reports, gathered by the fisheries officials from the repatriated Pakistani fishermen, indicated that the fishermen had been detained at Bhuj Kutch Jail, Gujarat, by the Indian authorities.

The fishing boat — Al-Bahar (9611-B) — had left the Karachi Fish Harbour on a routine fishing trip on July 24, 2001, after issuance of a port clearance for 20 days.

It is believed that the engine of the boat failed near the water zone of India and the crew members tried hard to rectify it without success.

In the meantime, their food stock was exhausted. However, due to high waves the fishermen reached the Indian shore safely and gave themselves up to the Indian army, who later handed them over to the investigation authorities.

The crewmen are: M. Gul (captain), Sajjad Husain, Sahar Gul, Ameer Alam, Abdul Hameed, Moosa Khan, M Rafiq, Fazal Alam, Karim, Naveed Khan and Sajeull Rehman.

The FCS had received an application from the boat owner, Khuda Bukhsh, about the boat’s missing, but it could not be confirmed at the time of recent repatriation of fishermen between Pakistan and India.

The FCS has requested the Marine Fisheries Department for taking up the issue of the boat with the higher authorities.

A swap of 398 fishermen took place between Pakistan and India during the past three months. The fishermen communities of both the countries have been pressing the respective authorities to show leniency in cases of the detained fishermen, who were caught on charges of illegal fishing.