Special team to investigate piracy involving Thai tanker

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has formed a special team to investigate the piracy on June 23 in the waters off Kuantan, involving an oil tanker carrying 3.8 litres of diesel, that was owned by a Thai company.

Its director-general Datuk Zulkifili Abu Bakar said MMEA had contacted the Thailand's Coordination and Enforcement Centre to share information and work together on the investigation.

He said MMEA was also cooperating with authorities in other neighbouring countries including the Indonesian Western Region Armada Command and Singapore Police Coast Guard, "considering that the incident involved cross-border crime".

"Through this cooperation, we can share information and intelligence, particularly in preventing a repeat of the incident and also to bring the culprits to justice," he said in a media statement here today.

Yesterday, the media reported that pirates robbed the oil tanker, CP41, which was heading to Songkla,Thailand from Singapore, of 1.5 litres of diesel.

In the incident around 9pm, the pirates tied up the ship's captain and 17 crew members, and destroyed the security alert system equipment. However, the ship was reported to have continued its journey to Thailand, arriving safely in Songkla yesterday.

-- BERNAMA