KUCHING: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak has detained a tugboat with a barge and 10 crew members for failing to produce a written proof on the change of skipper last Sunday (Oct 1).
MMEA Sarawak director First Admiral Zin Azman Md Yunus said a patrol vessel detected a tugboat anchored with a barge at about one nautical mile northeast of Tanjung Po, around 12.05 pm.
The team inspected the tugboat and barge, and found 10 crew members comprising nine foreigners and a local operating the vessels.
“All the crew members have complete identification documents.
“Further inspection found that the crew members failed to submit written evidence on the change of skipper in the Certificate of Malaysia Registry,” he said.
The tugboat and barge were then escorted to the anchorage area near Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex Jetty (KOMTAS) for further action.
In view of this, Zin Azman advised the community, especially the shipping community, to take heed of the laws and regulations being enforced.
He appealed to the public to channel any information on misconduct, criminal activities or emergency incidents at sea to the MMEA Sarawak Operations Centre at 082-432544.
