MIRI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a tanker and four foreign crew members for various offences on Tuesday (June 25).
MMEA Miri Zone director Captain Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad said the detention happened about 55 nautical miles northwest of Kuala Baram.
The vessel was spotted at 5.34 pm by a MMEA patrol boat during ‘Op Raja Laut’, ‘Op Naga Timur’, and ‘Op Permai’ patrols in Miri waters.
“The vessel was operated by a skipper and three crew members, all Indonesians.
“They were found to have anchored the vessel in a restricted area, failed to produce documents, and failed to notify the change of skipper in writing.
“As a result, both the tanker and its crew members were escorted to the Miri MMEA Vessel Detention Centre for further action,” he said.
The case is being investigated under the Protected Areas and Protected Places Act 1959 (Act 298) and the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.
Mohd Khairol said the agency remains committed to enforcing the law in MMEA zones and will not compromise with anyone found to have committed an offence.
Complaints, information, or emergencies at sea can be reported directly to the MMEA Miri Operations Centre at 085-418204 or the MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544/016.
