LAHAD DATU: A fishing vessel was detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for operating in the restricted zone, in violation of maritime regulations.
Lahad Datu Maritime Zone Director, Maritime Commander Dzulfikhar Ali, said the vessel was intercepted at 2.10pm about 0.9 nautical miles northeast of Pulau Batik during operations “Op Pluto Timur and Op Tiris”.
Advertisement
The vessel was operated by three Indonesian men aged between 30 and 46 as well as a 36-year-old local crew. All crews owned valid identification documents.
“Inspection found the vessel was fishing less than 1.5 nautical miles from the shore, breaching the Fisheries Act 1985,” he said.
The vessel, its crew, and their catch were taken to the Lahad Datu Maritime Jetty for further investigation.
Dzulfikhar emphasised that stern action will be taken against vessels found violating licence conditions and urged the public to report any maritime crime or emergencies via WhatsApp to the Lahad Datu Maritime Operations Centre at 016-9305727 or through 999.
