Boarding and Theft On Same Barge Transiting Singapore Strait Twice In One Day
January 18: ReCAAP reports two incidents occurred to the same barge towed by a tug boat while underway in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait on January 18. The
details of the incidents are described as follows:
- On 18 January 2020 at about 1129 hrs, tug boat, KIM HOCK TUG 9 towing barge, LKH 2882 was en route from Singapore to Vietnam when seven perpetrators were sighted on the barge. The perpetrators escaped in 2-3 sampans upon seeing another tug boat, KIM HOCK VIRGO approaching them. The master of KIM HOCK TUG 9 reported the incident to Singapore Vessel Traffic Information System (VTIS). The crew was not injured and some scrap metal was stolen.
- On the same day, 18 January 2020 at about 1551 hrs, a repeated unauthorized boarding occurred on the same barge LKH 2882. Seven perpetrators were sighted on the barge. Two Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG) craft were dispatched to intercept. The perpetrators fled in their sampans upon seeing the PCG craft. The crew was not injured. Several pieces of scrap metal were stolen.
Source: ReCAAP
