ReCAAP ISC informs that from 15-21 March 22, one CAT 41 incident of armed robbery against ship in Asia was reported.
The incident took place on 15 Mar on board a chemical/oil product tanker while berthed at Chittagong urea fertilizer jetty, Bangladesh.
During the incident, six perpetrators boarded the ship from a small wooden boat. The general alarm was raised and crew mustered. The perpetrators escaped with ship stores.
The Bangladesh Coast Guard boarded the ship, investigated the incident and recovered the stolen items. The crew was safe during the incident.
Abduction of crew in Sulu-Celebes Seas and Waters off Eastern Sabah
There is no incident of abduction of crew reported since the last incident in January 2020 up to today, and no crew is currently being held in captivity by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG).
The Philippine and Malaysian authorities continued to conduct pursuit operations and intensify military operations to neutralise the ASG. In 2021, the operations carried out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines had resulted in the neutralisation of some ASG subleaders and members.
However, as Mundi Sawadjaan (one of the ASG Commanders responsible for the abduction of crew in the Sulu area) is still at large, the threat of abduction of crew from ships remains high, particularly in the areas of Sulu and nearby waters off Tawi-Tawi.
ReCAAP ISC recommendation
The ReCAAP ISC urges ship master and crew to report all incidents of piracy and armed robbery against ships to the nearest coastal State and flag State, exercise vigilance and adopt relevant preventive measures taking reference from the Regional Guide 2 to Counter Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia.
