MMEA: Vietnamese vessel intervened in boat seizure

PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said a Vietnamese fisheries vessel had tried to stop them from seizing a compatriot’s boat, which was fishing illegally in waters off Terengganu.

MMEA said the Vietnam Fisheries Resources Surveillance vessel had tried to negotiate the release of the boat but the agency refused.

It then made dangerous turns near the MMEA vessel, which was attempting to arrest the crew on board the Vietnamese fishing boat.

MMEA deputy director general (Operations) Vice Admiral Maritime Ibrahim Mohamed said the incident occurred about 167 nautical miles north east of Tanjong Mat Amin, Terengganu, at 9.48am on Sept 18.

“During the incident, a Vietnamese enforcement agency boat tried to prevent MMEA officers from arresting the fishermen by trying to get in between the MMEA vessel and the seized boat.

They also made dangerous turns in front of KM Langkawi.

“They made the manoeuvres after KM Langkawi refused to release the seized fishing vessel which was found to have committed a serious offence by encroaching into Malaysian waters to fish,” he said in a statement yesterday.

He added the fishing boat was eventually seized by MMEA

Three Vietnamese fishermen were arrested and 9,000l of fuel as well as fishing equipment amounting to RM700,000 were seized.

Both the boat and its crew were sent to the Kemaman maritime zone pier at around 6pm, on Sept 19.

The case is being investigated for operating without a licence from the Fisheries Department and for not having valid identification documents.

“The MMEA has informed Wisma Putra on the incident,” he said

He said the Vietnamese defence attache was called to discuss the issue on Saturday but the attache was unable to attend.

The attache would instead be meeting with a representative from the MMEA operations department this week.