Bunker tanker pirates arrested in Malaysia
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) says on Tuesday it stopped Indonesian pirates from robbing valuables and oil from a bunker tanker off the coast of Tanjung Stapa in Johor Baru, the Malaysian newspaper The Star reports.
Tradewinds revealed the vessel in questions was the bunker tanker Merlion Dua.
MMEA (Southern Region) Maritime First Admiral Adon Shalan said 10 pirates escaped the scene in the wooden boat they had used to board the ship as they saw the MMEA approaching the vessel, leaving eight other pirates behind who were eventually arrested. "We believe that the robbers were hoping to get away with some valuables from the crewmen and steal oil from the ship," he said.
"We believe that the suspects had also used several sharp objects and a gun to intimidate the crewmen but had thrown the objects overboard as soon as they saw our officials approaching."
The pirate beat three of the crew members, leaving them with injuries to their heads and hands and trouble breathing, Adon said, adding that they were taken to the Royal Malaysian Navy Hospital for treatment.
The eight suspects who were arrested face a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in jail and whipping, he said. As of December 3, the International Chamber of Commerce Commercial Crime Service (ICC-CCS)'s Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) says there have been 278 pirate attacks worldwide this year, including 27 hijackings.
The southern end of Malaysia is a hotspot for the attacks, according to the Centre's live data map.
