PUTRAJAYA – Police will detain the three Iranian crew members of the foreign tugboat that had docked undetected at Penang Port’s container terminal in Butterworth, before they are repatriated to their home country.
An internal communique sighted by The Vibes said all three crew members will be held in the Seberang Prai district police headquarters’ lock-up before being handed over to the Immigration Department.
“The Immigration Department will correspond with the Iranian embassy to arrange their return home,” read the communique, which was shared by a source.
It is understood that government divisions and enforcement agencies, comprising representatives from the police, National Security Council, Customs Department, Immigration Department, and port authorities, among others, held a meeting at the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal yesterday evening to discuss the course of action on the matter.
The Marine Department had earlier launched a probe to investigate how the boat and crew sailed illegally into Malaysian waters, docking at the North Butterworth Container Terminal (NBCT) without approval from the port authorities.
Officials said the breach had raised alarms on the national security front and authorities are looking to revise standard operating procedures to prevent a repeat of the incident.
The MV Fire Man Zanzibar, a firefighting boat, had berthed illegally at NBCT on December 11.
The vessel was forced to trespass into Malaysian waters because the crew had run out of fuel and some sailors were sick, and were without food or money.
Two crewmen who needed immediate medical attention were sent to Seberang Jaya Hospital for treatment.
“The two crewmen who were reportedly sick have fully recovered, and Covid-19 test results on the ship’s crew were negative,” the communique said.
It also said that although the boat was registered in Zanzibar, Tanzania, the Marine Department found its provisional certificate of registry to be fake.
“Therefore, the vessel will not be allowed to sail away from the port as it did not meet conditions. The vessel will be quarantined at the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal for investigations.”
The authorities added it did not find any contraband on the ship upon inspection.
“The security screening report by Bukit Aman on the three crew members is still under investigation and will take time as the matter involves Iranian citizens.”
From discussions yesterday, the authorities also said the NBCT management needed to file a police report on the matter, while the police’s Special Branch will investigate the background of the crew further.
The ship will also be supervised by the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal, while the Marine Department will contact its owner to return the boat.
“If there are no claims in the span of a year, the Marine Department will declare the boat wreckage before conducting the process of disposal,” it said. – The Vibes, December 24, 2020
