Maritime Agency Detains Foreign Boat, Fisherman for Enroaching into Malaysian Waters

PORT KLANG (Selangor), Aug 2 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Monday detained a foreign fishing boat and arrested its skipper and six crewmen for encroaching into Malaysian waters. District Maritime director Captain Abu Zaki Mohammad said the 20-metre long boat was stopped by the MMEA patrol team at 29.3 nautical miles from Tanjong Karang at 10.45 am. “Upon inspection, a barrel full of their catch, as well as various fishing equipment were found in the boat. The skipper and crewmen, aged between 21 and 41, believed from Indonesia, were taken to the Klang Maritime operation centre for further investigation,” he said in a statement here Tuesday. Meanwhile, Abu Zaki said the MMEA has expanded the search area for the missing crew of the MT C.P 38 oil tanker, who was believed to have fallen into the sea at 10.8 nautical miles off Morib here, last Sunday. “The search, which has entered the second day, has been expanded to five to 10 nautical miles from the spot the man was believed to have fallen,” he said. The missing crew, known as Teerayouth, 28, from Thailand, was last seen aboard the tanker at 5.38 pm on Sunday. The vessel, which was registered in Bangkok, was heading to Papua New Guinea from Port Klang. -- BERNAMA