Malaysian authorities detain Chinese crew on suspicion of illegal looting

Malaysian authorities detain Chinese crew on suspicion of illegal looting
i24NEWS and agencies May 30, 2023 https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/asia-pacific/1685445218-mal...

Beijing asks for its citizens’ rights and safety to be protected, and to handle the case 'fairly and in accordance with the law'

A Chinese vessel was detained by Malaysia’s coast guard on suspicion of looting British shipwrecks from World War II. Some of the ship’s crew were in custody for questioning.

"Our investigation is now directed to where these cannon shells originated from. Right now, we have officers from multi-agencies searching the big ship," Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency chief Nurul Hizam Zakaria told AFP.

Nurul Hizam said the case “involves the discovery of explosives," and the ship in question came from Fuzhou with a crew of 32, mostly Chinese nationals, and 10 Bangladeshis and one Malaysian.

"To understand the situation,” China's foreign affairs ministry said their embassy in Malaysia would stay in close contact with local authorities, and asked Malaysia to handle the case "fairly and in accordance with the law". Beijing also asked for its citizens’ rights and safety to be protected.

Unexploded shells were first discovered when the Chinese-registered vessel was boarded, which was initially detained for illegal anchorage over the weekend, according to AFP. Another source told AFP, on condition of anonymity, that items on board may have been from two WWII-era British warships that were sunk off the country’s coast.

The UK’s Defense Ministry released a statement, via the BBC, and condemned the "desecration" of maritime military graves, after the first reports that scavengers may have targeted two WWII wrecks. Malaysia's New Straits Times newspaper reported that illegal salvage operators targeted high-grade aluminum and brass from the vessels.

Any form of illegal salvage activities in Malaysian waters would not be tolerated according to Nurul Hizam, and added, “our national treasure must be protected and preserved.”