INDIA – Following our story of the 10th August the vessel Mu San is still in port in Kakinda in the Indian province of Andhra Pradesh. The vessel underwent preliminary searches at Port Blair before being moved to her new location where her 16,500 tonne cargo of sugar has been offloaded at the rate of 2,000 tonnes per day.
The 38 members of the crew and a North Korean Government official are being held by Indian authorities and interviewed after shots were fired to stop the vessel fleeing on 6th August. The Captain, Yun Jong Sun, has apparently failed to account for the destination of the cargo and there have been difficulties with translation of the crew’s statements.
The preliminary tests on the vessels cargo were apparently undertaken by a team of nuclear specialists who were unable to locate any noxious materials. The team were looking for any traces of nuclear, chemical or biological agents. It is estimated that all the cargo will be discharged within the next few days whilst Indian officials inspect documentation submitted by all parties involved.
