MISSING MALAYSIAN TUGBOAT FOUND NEAR MINDANAO

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, May 20 (Bernama) –- A Malaysian-registered tugboat, Atlantic 3, which was reported missing in Indonesian waters near Pulau Bintan on April 27, was found, together with the barge it was towing, in the waters south of Mindanao island in the Philippines Wednesday.

The Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery
against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) said the
Philippine coastguard saw two vessels matching the description of the tugboat
and the barge, Atlantic 5, entering Sarangani Bay this morning.

The centre said the personnel of the Coast Guard Station General Santos
boarded and inspected the vessels about noon and confirmed the vessels to be
Atlantic 3 and Atlantic 5.

Investigations revealed that the tugboat had been renamed ‘Marlyn 8’, and
the authorities arrested the personnel cutting away the welded names of the tug
boat and barge, using gas torches.

On May 3, the nine crew of the tugboat, comprising six Indonesians, two
Malaysians and a Myanmar national, were found abandoned in a life raft near
Spratly Islands off Vietnam.

The tugboat was reported missing after departing Tanjung Ayam, Johor for
Kintap, South Kalimantan after replenishment of fresh water.

-– BERNAMA