Indonesia recovers hijacked tug boat in Straight of Singapore

[News_Editor]

Indonesia recovers hijacked tug boat in Straight of Singapore

2012-01-03 12:09:43 GMT+7 (ICT)

JAKARTA, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- An Indonesian tug boat which was hijacked with nine crew members in the Straight of Singapore last month was rescued on Monday, officials said on Tuesday.

Noel Choong, chief of the piracy reporting center of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), told the Straight Times that Indonesian authorities had rescued the tug boat, which had been hijacked several days earlier. Few details were immediately released.

The tug boat and barge had not been contacted since December 27 when it was located off the coast of southern Malaysia near the Straight of Singapore, as it was heading toward the island of Borneo.

Choong, who said the IMB was pleased with the recovery of the tug boat, noted that it had been towing a barge laden with heavy machinery and piling materials when Indonesian aircraft spotted it. Only one day later, three warships found the tug boat in the same area.

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