ReCAAP ISC had released a report on the abduction and robbery incidents against ships in Asia that occurred from 4 to 10 December 2018.
What happened?
On December 10, the ReCAAP ISC was issued an Incident Alert based on the information
received from ReCAAP Focal Point (Philippine Coast Guard) that a group of about 20
men armed with firearms boarded the boat on 5 December and abducted three of its crew members.
In another incident that occurred on September 11, masked men armed with weapons boarded the fishing trawler ‘Sri Dewi 1’ and kidnapped two fishermen when it was sailing in waters off Gaya Island.
Status of abduction
A total of two actual incidents of abduction of the crew were reported in 2018. As the threat of abduction of the crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and off eastern Sabah still
remains, ReCAAP ISC maintains its advisory issued via the ReCAAP ISC Incident Alert
dated 21 November 2016 to all ships to reroute from the area, where possible.
ReCAAP ISC Recommendations
The shipmasters and crew are strongly urged to exercise extra vigilance while transiting the Sulu-Celebes Seas and eastern Sabah region and report all incidents of piracy and armed
robbery against ships to the nearest coastal State and flag State, and adopt relevant preventive measures taking reference from the Regional Guide to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia.
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Source: ReCAAP
