SIBU: Five Vietnamese fishermen who escaped from the Miri Zone Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) lock-up on July 15 were successfully apprehended yesterday.

Miri Maritime Zone director Capt (Maritime) Md Fauzi Othman said the fishermen, who escaped through the toilet window of the lock-up, were caught at 11 pm yesterday hiding in the bushes around the Sungai Miri estuary.

He said all five detainees were among 13 Vietnamese fishermen caught on June 28 for trespassing into the country's waters, fishing without a permit and not possessing valid identification.

"The suspects' hiding location was detected following the suspicious movements of a vehicle that entered the water sewage treatment plant area near the Sungai Miri estuary, placed a pack suspected to be food and leaving the location immediately after.

"Not long after, five individuals appeared from the direction of the beach and sneaked into the bushes near the beach. Surveillance revealed that the pack had disappeared and was believed to have been taken by the suspects," he said in a statement here today.

Md Fauzi said enforcement personnel then surrounded the area and caught the suspects.

"All suspects were apprehended after one of them surrendered due to suspected hunger and exhaustion.

"The suspects have been taken to the Batu Niah police station and handed over to the police for further investigation while the mastermind, believed to be conspiring and providing food to the suspects, is now being tracked to facilitate investigations," he said.

-- BERNAMA