Investigation into Coast Guard boat incident underway

Manama, May 9 (BNA): Muharraq Prosecution Chief has stated that the Public Prosecution has launched its investigations into the incident in which a boat rammed into the marine patrol, leading to the death of one of the patrol members, and the injury of other onboard the Coast Guard vessel. As soon it received the notification on May 6, the Public Prosecution viewed the body of the dead policeman, and ordered investigations to arrest the perpetrators of the incident. Then, the Coast Guard Command identified several suspects and the boat used in the crash. To date, investigations revealed that suspects, who are Asians, sailed on board the boat based on its owner’s request, to catch shrimps, in violation of the ministerial edict on banning shrimping during this period. As soon as they saw the marine patrol, the fishermen tried to flee, but their vessel collided with the police boat, causing it to capsize, and resulting in the death of a policeman and the injury of several others onboard, the investigators found. The Public Prosecution examined the police boat and that of the fishermen, interrogated the suspects and found that they have a history of fishing-related violations and non-compliance with Coast Guard orders. It ordered the fishermen and their boat owner be remanded in custody pending investigation. In order to ascertain the cause of the death, the Public Prosecution instructed the forensic expert to examine the body of the fallen policeman and the injured policemen. It also instructed experts from the Ports and Maritime Affairs at the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications to inspect the boats, and determine the circumstances of the incident. It also requested all incident-related notification records and information about the police boat’s movement. It also demanded the examination of data on the suspects’ boat’s Automatic Identification System.