BINTULU: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here detained a tugboat and two foreign crew members for operating without a valid skipper near the Kemena River estuary yesterday (May 4).
MMEA Bintulu director Captain Muhammad Suffian Eldine Abdullah said the interception was made during ‘Op Permai’ and ‘Op Tiris’ patrols.
The boat, operated by two Indian men aged 20 and 28, was spotted sailing towards the estuary at about 1.4 nautical miles northwest of the location.
“Further inspections revealed that the crew had failed to notify the Registrar of Ships in writing regarding the change of skipper in the ship’s registration certificate.
“Both the crew members and the vessel are escorted to MMEA Bintulu Vessel Detention Centre to be handed over to the investigating officer for further action,” he said.
The case is being investigated under Section 22(2A) of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1953, which carries a compound penalty of RM2,500, upon conviction.
Suffian advised the maritime community to always adhere to maritime laws and safety procedures to prevent untoward incidents at sea.
Members of the public are urged to report complaints, information, or emergencies at sea to MMEA Bintulu Operations Centre at 086-314254 or MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544.
