THERE were a total of three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia in January 2019, a 73 per cent decrease compared to the same month last year, according to data from Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCP)
THERE were a total of three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia in January 2019, a 73 per cent decrease compared to the same month last year, according to data from Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCP). All three incidents reported in January occurred on board ships anchored; one at Caofeidian anchorage; one at Jingtang anchorage in China and one at Ciwandan anchorage in Indonesia. Of the three incidents one was a CAT 3 incident and two were CAT 4.
There was no hijacking of ships for theft of oil cargo reported during the first month of the year nor was there any report of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah.
Howeve, ReCAPP warns that'the abduction of crew for ransom in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off Eastern Sabah remains a serious concern.'
Meanwhile, the Philippine authorities have rescued the remaining one abducted fisherman of Sri Dewi 1 on January 15 this year. The vessel was sailing in waters off Gaya Island, Semporna, Sabah on September 11, 2018 when two masked men armed with firearms boarded the fishing boat and abducted two fishermen. The other abducted fisherman was rescued earlier by the authorities on December 5 2018.
As the threat of abduction of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and waters off eastern Sabah remains, ReCP ISC maintains its advisory issued via the ReCP ISC Incident Alert dated November 21, 2016 to all ships to reroute from the area, where possible.
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