MIRI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) here seized two fishing vessels with 39 Vietnamese crew members onboard including two skippers after the vessels encroached into waters off Miri last Tuesday.
MMEA District 13 Director, Captain Md Fauzi Othman disclosed that the two vessels were spotted at 1.15pm about two nautical miles off the coast here.
The first vessel was seized around 2.30pm at 45 nautical miles off Tanjong Lobang Beach while the second vessel had tried to flee the scene. However, after an hour’s pursuit, MMEA managed to seize it.
MMEA also confiscated 15,000kgs of marine products and fishing equipment estimated to worth RM500,000.
“Eighteen of the crew members arrested have no identification documents or work permits,” Captain Md Fauzi said.
According to Md Fauzi, the two vessels had been detained many times by MMEA Miri for encroaching prior to Tuesday’s arrest.
The two vessels and their crew members are being detained under the Fisheries Act, 1985, Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952/1960.
