A crew aboard the tugboat Royal TB 17 was overpowered and robbed by a group described as pirates by local police. Fortunately, all crew members are now safe in police custody after recounting their traumatic experience.
According to the police report, five masked men armed with knives and firearms attacked the 14-person crew while they were transporting a barge from Bagendang Port on Kalimantan (Borneo) to Stagen. The incident occurred near Tanjung Malatayur in the southern part of the island when the pirates approached in a small boat.
The assailants took the crew hostage and began robbing them and the tugboat. The pirates stole over $1 000 in cash, 21 mobile phones, nine communication radios, a rope-throwing device, a radar unit, binoculars, and the GPS from the vessel, as well as the cargo of FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester).
The tugboat had set sail on September 19th, and the crew was hijacked the following day. Details about their release remain unclear.
Police are currently interviewing the crew for more information about the incident, and the crew is receiving medical attention after their ordeal. Authorities are committed to tracking down and apprehending the pirates responsible for the attack on the Royal TB 17. While regional authorities have noted an increase in piracy incidents, most have occurred in the Singapore Strait, where perpetrators usually aim to steal supplies or equipment and flee quickly, often without being heavily armed. In such cases, there is typically little interaction between the crew and the attackers.
