Empty North Korean ship bound for Iran

Posted By Mark I. Levenstein Thursday, November 9, 2006 - 6:34 PM Share

A North Korean cargo ship detained by the Indian Coast Guard after breaking down in Indian waters has officials mystified. Why? The vessel, which was headed to Iran, was empty.

The crew has not been able to explain why they were sailing an empty vessel to Iran," a senior coast guard official told Reuters on condition of anonymity on Thursday.

However a senior official at the Directorate General of Shipping said: "They have told us that because it is a new ship they were testing it. But it is strange that they should need to sail as far as Iran."

Indian official have reason to be concerned. In 1999, they caught a North Korean ship carrying missile components to Pakistan.

But rest assured. Surely there is nothing illicit going on between the nascent and aspiring nuclear powers, North Korea and Iran, both of which were suspected members of Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan's nuclear trafficking network. I'm sure it was just a pleasure cruise.

EXPLORE:INDIA, IRAN, NORTH KOREA, NUKES, PAKISTAN

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