At about 0221 hours local time on 17 June, a Brazil-registered bulk carrier Densa Shark while underway at about 1.1 nm south-southwest of Pulau Takong Kecil was apparently boarded by three knife-wielding intruders, who were sighted in the engine room.
The crew raised the alarm and conducted a search, but no perpetrators were found onboard and nothing was missing, the incident report from ReCAAP ISC said.
Within two and a half hours later at about 0503 hours, a Norway-registered LNG tanker Clipper Posh while underway at approximately 3.9 nm northeast of Pulau Takong Kecil was also boarded by five intruders, who were again sighted in the engine room. Similarly a search was conducted and no one was found, and nothing was missing.
Less than half an hour later at about 0525 hours, a Panama-registered tanker Pro Triumph while underway at approximately 6.9 nm southwest of Pulau Takong Kecil was boarded by five intruders, who were first seen in the engine room as well.
This time, the intruders turned aggressive and tied up the chief engineer and first engineer, stole some generator spare parts and fled.
“In all three incidents, the perpetrators were sighted in the engine room, an indication that the vessel’s engine spare items targeted,” ReCAAP ISC said.
“Considering the close interval of time and proximity of these incidents (between 4 nm and 10 nm), although not substantiated at this juncture, the perpetrators could possibly be from the same group,” it added.
ReCAAP ISC highlighted that while these incidents were deemed as “petty theft” in nature, it warrants ships to pay extra attention to shipboard security as access/authorised boarding has been breached.
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