JOHOR BARU: Two barges worth about RM45 million were stolen from the Tanjung Kupang port here by hijackers, who were allegedly aided by the crew of the vessels.
It is learnt that the large vessels, belonging to a Chinese mining company, were berthed near the Gelang Patah Forest City project site with four crew on duty when they were hijacked on Sunday.
Sources said a manager of the mining company had earlier tried to contact the crew but received no response.
He then went to the site on Monday and found the crew and vessels missing.
At about midnight the same day, the manager spotted a crew member at the Forest City jetty, who then related to him what had happened.
The manager learnt that one of the four crew had held up the remaining three with the help of another unidentified Chinese national and locked them up in a room on the barge.
The crew member and his accomplice also confiscated their cellphones before making off with the two vessels.
After some time, the crew member boarded a life boat with his three colleagues and headed back to Johor, where he abandoned them and fled in a car with several other accomplices.
Johor police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd told theSun that the crew had only lodged a report of the hijacking on Tuesday.
“We contacted Interpol and our counterparts in the region soon after and a search for the missing vessels was carried out.”
“We have received information that the vessels are currently near Vietnamese waters. We have recorded statements from the crew and investigations are ongoing,“ he said, adding that no one was hurt in the incident.
Mohd Khalil also said the vessels were leased by a company here and were not carrying any cargo.
