A missile recovered by fishermen while fishing off the Kozhikode coast has been confirmed to be a naval missile, officials said. The missile is believed to be a decoy weapon used by the Indian Navy to mislead enemy radar systems.
A Navy team examined the missile and found that it was old and may have fallen into the sea after missing its intended target during a military exercise. The propellant used to power the missile had also been exhausted, officials said.
The missile was found by fishermen who had ventured into the sea from Puthiyappa Harbour aboard the fishing boat Rajyalakshmi. It reportedly became entangled in their fishing net about 30 nautical miles from the shore last Friday. The fishermen brought it back to the harbour.
According to officials, such naval systems are designed to respond to threats detected by radar and divert or neutralise incoming missiles from enemy warships.
As the weapon has been identified as belonging to the Indian defence forces, officials said there were no other security concerns. The remains of the missile will be transported to the dumping yard at the Naval Base in Kochi for disposal.
