The ‘Q’ Branch CID of the Tamil Nadu, which investigated the case, said the entry of MV Seaman Guard Ohio was a “threat to internal security”. The ship’s crew had claimed that the ship had run out of fuel and was stranded. However, the prosecution submitted that had there been an emergency, the Captain could have alerted the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) seeking assistance from the Indian Coast Guard. “Instead he chose to lay anchor in Indian waters and buy about 1,500 litres of fuel clandestinely with the help of agents. When the same vessel visited Cochin Port there was no sign of any weapons…when intercepted by the Coast Guard the private security guards on board were heavily armed,” a senior police officer told The Hindu.

An alert by the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), led to the interception of the U.S. vessel off the Tuticorin Coast on October 11. Indian Coast Guard Ship Naikidevi intercepted the vessel anchored 10.75 nautical miles off the coastline and just 3.8 nautical miles from the base line from where the Indian territorial waters begin.