Terengganu MMEA detains 7 Vietnamese fishing boats

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has seized seven Vietnamese fishing boats and detained 83 fishermen including the skippers and crew, aged between 16 and 68, for encroaching into Malaysian waters to fish.

Terengganu MMEA director Maritime Captain Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli said the arrests and seizures were made within three days beginning Thursday at separate locations between 117 and 135 nautical miles off Kuala Terengganu during the "Ops Kuda Laut" operation.

He said the value of the seized items which included seven boats, five tonnes of catch, 10,000 litres of diesel and fishing equipment was estimated at RM10.5 million.

"All the Vietnamese fishermen had been brought to undergo the COVID-19 screening tests and the results are expected to come back around 5 pm today," he told a press conference at the Terengganu Maritime Jetty here today.

He added that while on the way to MMEA's jetty, a fight broke out between two Vietnamese crew members which ended in one of them being severely stabbed before being rushed to the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital and reportedly to be in a stable condition.

Meanwhile, two Vietnamese fishing boats were sunk in the waters of Pulau Redang to become artificial reefs.

Maritime Safety and Surveillance Division director Rear Admiral (Maritime) Kamaruszaman Abu Hassan said about 153 Vietnamese fishing vessels had been disposed of by the Terengganu MMEA within 10 years.

He said this demonstrated the government's firmness in fighting the threats from foreign fishermen, while ensuring the country's sovereignty and protecting its fishery source.

"Besides, indirectly (the disposal of the boats as artificial reefs) provide various other benefits such as enriching marine life and encouraging maritime tourism.

"We will continue the effort, with the cooperation and support from other parties such as the Department of Fisheries, Marine Parks and Institute for Southeast Asian Marine Resources," he said after witnessing the disposal in the waters of Pulau Redang today.

Also present was Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ronald Kiandee.

-- BERNAMA