Pirates Take 4 Hostages Near Malaysia
Four Indonesian sailors have been kidnapped by a group of armed men when their vessels was hijacked between the Malaysian and Philippine waterways on Friday evening (Apr 15). According to a statement from the Indonesian Foreign Ministry four of the 10 crew members who were Indonesian nationals were reported to have been abducted by the armed group who were believed to have overtaken the tugboat. Shortly after the incident that occurred in international waters, six of the crew members who escaped were believed to have entered Malaysian waters before being rescued by Malaysian security forces. The statement said a fifth sailor was shot during the hijacking incident, and Malaysian maritime police managed to rescue the sailor who is now in a stable condition.
Navies Vow To Fight Piracy
In their fight against piracy in regional waters, the navies of both Singapore and Indonesia are intensifying patrols, Singapore's Shipping Times reported. Joint patrols between the Singapore and Indonesian navies are expected to take place over the next few months, especially in the piracy hot spots in the region, the paper said. The move was seen necessary as the increased patrols and precautions taken by the Malaysian counterparts are likely to drive more pirates into Singapore's and Indonesian's surrounding waters, it said. The Malaysian Maritime Police, which has adopted better communication equipment and faster patrol boats, has reported a drop in piracy attacks in Malaysia waters. - (Reuters)
