Barge with RM18.5m load robbed

KUCHING: A barge operated by Sabah-based shipping company laden with RM18.5 million worth of palm oil was robbed in the waters off Singkawang, Indonesia, on Wednesday.

The Ever Omega barge-carrying 3,700 tonnes of palm oil, together with Ever Prosper tugboat operated by Pengangkutan Kekal Sdn Bhd, was heading towards Butterworth, Penang when it was boarded by a group of parang-wielding pirates.

All six crew members on the barge and four on the tugboat were tied up by the pirates in the 4am incident.

The pirates later fled the scene together with the barge and its crew comprising five Indonesians and an Indian national.

Those on board the tugboat freed themselves and sailed towards Johor waters.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Vice-Admiral Datuk Mohd Taha Ibrahim said the Malaysian authorities immediately activated the Western Fleet Quick Response protocol and alerted their Indonesian counterparts upon receiving reports from the shipping company.

“MMEA was informed by our Indonesian counterpart about 6pm yesterday (Thursday) that they have located Ever Omega with the crew of the barge.

“The palm oil, however, was missing and we believe it was taken away by the robbers.

“The Indonesian authorities are in the process of towing the barge to Tanjung Pinang in Indonesia,” Taha said yesterday.

He added that the crew members of the tugboat, all Indonesians, had arrived at the Tanjung Pengelih jetty, Johor, with the assistance of the Sedili Maritime District MMEA at noon on Thursday.

“A forensic team from the MMEA headquarters in Putrajaya has been deployed to Tanjung Pengelih to assist investigations into the case,” he said.

According to the report filed by the shipping company, the tugboat and the barge had left Bintulu about 7am on Nov 18 and was scheduled to arrive at the end destination tomorrow.