:MV Seaman Guard Ohio
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Seaman Guard Ohio Vessel.JPG |Ship image size=300px |Ship caption=MV Seaman Guard Ohio photographed at Singapore, July 2012 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship name= |Ship owner=AdvanFort |Ship operator= |Ship registry=Freetown, Sierra Leone |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship builder=Narasaki Shipbuilding, Muroran, Japan |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number=1064 |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=20 August 1984 |Ship completed=1984 |Ship christened= |Ship acquired= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship identification=*{{IMO Number|8410691}}
|Ship fate= |Ship status= |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type= |Ship tonnage=*{{GT|394}}
|Ship displacement= |Ship length={{convert|45.93|m|ft}} |Ship beam={{convert|7.32|m|ft}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan= |Ship power=2800 bhp |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed= |Ship capacity= |Ship crew= |Ship notes= }} |
The MV Seaman Guard Ohio is a floating armory ship{{cite web|title=MSC 95th session meeting documents|url=http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/MeetingSummaries/MSC/Pages/MSC-95th-session.aspx|website=IMO (International Maritime Organisation)|publisher=IMO, London|accessdate=12 January 2016}} owned by AdvanFort and used for storing weapons and security guards on private anti-piracy contracts.{{cite web|title=IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CRIMINAL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CRIMINAL APPEAL No. 836 OF 2015 (Arising out of S.L.P.(Crl.)No. 7082 of 2014)|url=http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/FileServer/2015-07-02_1435836149.pdf|website=supremecourtofindia.nic.in|publisher=Supreme Court of India|accessdate=12 January 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304120912/http://supremecourtofindia.nic.in/FileServer/2015-07-02_1435836149.pdf|archivedate=4 March 2016}} In October 2013, the ship was impounded and the crew and armed guards aboard were detained after it allegedly entered Indian waters with illegal arms without adequate permission.{{cite web|title=Police Arrests Crew of detained US Ship Seaman Guard Ohio |url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/10/police-arrests-crew-of-detained-us-ship-seaman-guard-ohio/|accessdate=18 October 2013}}
Ship
The MV Seaman Guard Ohio is a Sierra Leone (flag of convenience)–flagged former fishery patrol vessel (Call Sign: 9LA2125, IMO: 8410691, MMSI: 667004026) owned and operated by AdvanFort, an American private maritime security company that provides commercial anti-piracy protection services to merchant vessels.{{cite news|title=Seaman Guard Ohio|url=http://new.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/667004026|newspaper=Marine Traffic|date=12 October 2013|access-date=15 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015234213/http://new.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/details/ships/667004026|archive-date=15 October 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite news |author=Amanda Hodge |title=India seizes US mercenary ship |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/india-seizes-us-mercenary-ship/story-e6frg6so-1226740544070 |newspaper=The Australian |date=16 October 2013}} The vessel is equipped with a wide array of directive and omnidirectional radio-communications sensors including numerous VHF, UHF, HF and satellite communications antennae, maritime radars and satellite navigation systems.{{cite news |author=Bhaskar Balakrishnan |title=Rogue vessels in Indian waters |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/opinion/columns/bhaskar-balakrishnan/rogue-vessels-in-indian-waters/article5268895.ece?homepage=true |newspaper=The Hindu Business Line |date=24 October 2013}}
The ship was built for Hokkaido Prefecture by Narasaki Shipbuilding of Muroran, Japan, and was originally named the Kaio Maru. In May 2011 she was renamed Timor Navigator, and in January 2012 Seaman Guard Ohio.{{cite web |url=http://seaman-guard-ohio-8410691-patrol-vessel-MaritimeConnector.com.pdf |title=Seaman Guard Ohio - 8410691 - Patrol Vessel |publisher=Maritime Connector |accessdate=October 22, 2013 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
History
= Interception by Indian Coast Guard =
{{Main|AdvanFort#2013 Seaman Guard Ohio incident}}
The MV Seaman Guard Ohio was intercepted on 12 October 2013 beyond the ICC CSS High Risk Area and within Indian Customs Waters by ICGS Naiki Devi. The vessel was escorted to the V.O. Chidambaranar Port in Thoothukudi (Tuticorin).{{cite news|title=Arms-laden US ship in Tuticorin: No clear answers yet |url=http://www.newsx.com/national/nation/item/11942-arms-laden-us-ship-in-tuticorin-no-clear-answers-yet |newspaper=News X |date=15 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131017050107/http://www.newsx.com/national/nation/item/11942-arms-laden-us-ship-in-tuticorin-no-clear-answers-yet |archivedate=17 October 2013 }} The 10 crew and 25 guards were interrogated by a federal multi-agency joint investigation team comprising members of the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, Customs, Research and Analysis Wing and the Q Branch of India's Intelligence Bureau.{{cite news |title=Ship with armed guards detained in Indian waters |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/ship-with-armed-guards-detained-in-indian-waters/article5229375.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |date=13 October 2013}}{{cite news|title=US ship with armed guards detained at Tuticorin; no papers authorising possession of arms|url=http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/us-ship-with-armed-guards-detained-at-tuticorin-no-papers-authorising-possession-of-arms-431775|newspaper=NDTV|date=13 October 2013}}{{cite news|title=India seizes armed anti-piracy ship owned by US security firm |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-seizes-armed-anti-piracy-ship-owned-by-US-security-firm/articleshow/24104493.cms |newspaper=Times of India |date=13 October 2013}}
On 10 July 2014, a judge of the Madras High Court dismissed the charges against the crew and armed guards, while reaffirming that the captain and the fuel vendor were liable to punishment for the ship's being refueled with subsidized diesel fuel.{{cite news |newspaper=Times of India|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Madras-high-court-quashes-criminal-case-against-crew-of-US-ship/articleshow/38147206.cms|title=Madras high court quashes criminal case against crew of US ship|date=10 July 2014 }}{{cite news |newspaper=Business Standard|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/hc-quashes-invoking-of-arms-act-registerd-against-crew-of-us-114071001496_1.html|title=HC quashes invoking of Arms Act registered against crew of US|date=10 July 2014 }}
On 1 July 2015, the Indian Supreme Court heard an appeal filed by the CID ‘Q’ Branch police against the 2014 judgement by the Madras High Court. Supreme Court Bench of Justices Vikramjit Sen and Abhay Manohar Sapre set aside the High Court's decision as “illegal and erroneous.” explaining that “The very fact that huge quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the crew members from the vessel and they were unable to satisfy their legal possession over such arms/ammunition is sufficient to attract the provisions of Arms Act,”.{{cite news|title=SC demands truth about mystery ship|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-demands-truth-about-mystery-ship-seaman-guard-ohio/article7387563.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=5 July 2015}} The Supreme Court ordered the Tuticorin District Principal Sessions Court to complete the trial of the case and give its judgment within six months.{{cite news|title=Framing of charges in armed vessel case on August 24|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/framing-of-charges-in-armed-vessel-case-on-august-24/article7533343.ece|newspaper=The Hindu|date=24 August 2015}}
On 11 January 2016, judge of Tuticorin District Principal Sessions Court sentenced all the 10 crew and 25 guards to undergo 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 3000 each.{{cite news | url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/five-year-jail-terms-for-crew-guards-of-us-ship-116011100417_1.html | title=Five-year jail terms for crew, guards of US ship | newspaper=Business Standard India | date=11 January 2016 | publisher=business-standard | accessdate=11 January 2016}}{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/fiveyear-ri-for-35-us-ship-crew-members/article8092537.ece | title=Five-year RI for 35 U.S. ship crew members | newspaper=The Hindu | accessdate=11 January 2016}}
On 27 November 2017, the crew and guards were acquitted again. While the court's ruling is that all charges against the men be dropped, that they should be released from custody with immediate effect and the fines already paid be refunded the authorities have not yet indicated whether or not they are minded to challenge their second acquittal, accordingly they still remain in custody.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/appeals-of-us-anti-piracy-ship-crew-madras-hc-to-pass-order-on-nov-27/articleshow/61726888|title=Appeals of US anti-piracy ship crew: Madras HC to pass order on Nov 27|date=2017-11-20|work=Times of India|access-date=2017-11-27|language=en-GB}}.cms{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-42135559|title=Jailed Britons win India appeal|date=2017-11-27|work=BBC News|access-date=2017-11-27|language=en-GB}}
References
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Category:International maritime incidents
Category:Maritime incidents in 2013