59 illegal immigrants arrested in Oman waters

Muscat: A security aircraft spotted two small boats packed with illegal immigrants in the Omani territorial waters on Monday that helped the coast guard apprehend 59 Asian infiltrators before they can sneak along Oman.

The surveillance aircraft spotted two drifting boats near Liwa in the northern parts of the country. They immediately alerted the coast guards.

Three patrol boats chased the two boats and surrounded the boats before taking into all the occupants.

Human traffickers attempt to smuggle people from Asia, mostly Pakistan, into Oman through the sea route.

Poor job seekers from Asian subcontinent pay huge amount to come to the Gulf region.

These poor unemployed are often first taken by road to Iran across the Pakistan border and then taken by boats from Bandar Abbas and dropped off along the long Omani coastline, especially on the northern side.