Phuket police confirm probe underway into missing Antarctic trawler Kunlun

[Just1Voice]

Where the hell is Popeye when you need him!

[Expat1]

Huh. Well, ships clear port in the dead of night is nothing new nor uncommon. Believe me no collusion is really necessary. I have seen it done in Spore, Indonesia and Hong Kong in years past. Once one is over the horizon the ocean is a damn big place. Both the Australian and New Zealand navies losing the vessel originally is proof of that. I was under the impression that transponders were now to be put on such vessels by law. Though disconnecting them is obviously not that hard, of course. Still a rather appalling show by all the various maritime authorities and navies involved in this I would say.

[elgordo38]

OK I loose my glasses, my change, etc.

But HTF DO YOU LOOSE THIS?

Lets pass the hat and buy them a big padlock what the heck did they expect. Millions of bahts of illegal cargo and no guards put on board dah we're gone. On your honor will you stay here while we file charges against you. I brown envelope would not even cover this fish slipping away. This even makes the Keystone Kops look like Sherlock Holmes.

Edited September 19, 2015 by elgordo38

[Khun Paul]

The Kunlun is hiding somewhere, what a fatuous remark when the world is 2/3rds water that does not take too much intelligence to say that .

How does a vessel this size simply go for a cruise without anyone really knowing beggars belief, but then as has been said corruption and lack of due diligence would allow this and where the hell is the seized cargo

Oh well in line with the our wonderful leader Thainess rules ok ya !!!!!!!!!!!!

[brianj1964]

probably off the coast of Libya, heading towards Europe

[Traveller45]

OK I loose my glasses, my change, etc.

But HTF DO YOU LOOSE THIS?

To lose a ship? Happens all the time. Looks big only on the photo. I am just worried about the fish. Spoils so fast. Hmmmm yummy

Edited September 19, 2015 by Traveller45

[gregk0543]

The arrested crew consist of 31 Indonesians, four Spanish officers and a Peruvian captain.

“The Indonesian crew are still waiting to be sent home by the ship owner and will be deported upon the administrative process completion,” Susi said.

The crew was apparently arrested.

http://en.tempo.co/read/news/2015/04/09/056656518/Embassy-Prompted-to-Repatriate-Arrested-Ship-Crew-in-Phuket

Here is some more old stuff before Thunder Sank.

And So the Saga of the KUNLUN Continues

Reports out of Thailand seem to suggest that Thailand is washing their hands of the KUNLUN affair.

The Spanish newspaper La Voz de Galicia is reporting that a Thai government ship will escort what they describe as a “pirate” ship to mile 201 where it will be freed and banned from returning to Thai waters.

After unloading $5.6 million worth of illegally caught Antarctic Toothfish, after lying about the flag and registration of their ship, after falsifying declaration papers lying about their cargo, after being found to be unlicensed with unqualified crew, and after destroying their fishing logs, the poachers have reportedly been escorted out of Thai waters and told to leave.

No fines. No arrests. And there is no information yet as to the location of the $5.6 million cargo of 182 tons of Toothfish; if it was returned to the KUNLUN or if it is off to market to restaurants and fish markets around the world.

The KUNLUN has 35 crew onboard. Four from Galicia, Spain, and 30 from Indonesia with a captain from Peru who is not qualified to skipper a commercial vessel of this tonnage.

One very worrying fact is that the Thais found no nets or fishing gear onboard the KUNLUN. These nets were seen onboard by the New Zealand Navy two months before. It is assumed that the KUNLUN threw the nets which could exceed 100 kilometers over the side prior to entering Thai waters. If so this would mean that there is now a massive drifting ghost net causing ecological havoc in the Indian Ocean.

Representatives of the Spanish fishing company Vidal Armadores were in Phuket, Thailand, throwing money around in their efforts to free the KUNLUN. It appears their efforts have succeeded.

Sea Shepherd will continue to investigate the fate of the 182 tons of Toothfish, a cargo worth more than the ship itself. Vidal Armadores may have sacrificed the ship for the cargo and if this cargo has been sold, it implicates both Thailand and Vietnam in the illegal movements of contraband fish.

https://www.facebook.com/captpaulwatson/posts/10153085311470932

[gregk0543]

Then we know from this that the original crew were freed and a replacement indonesian crew was installed.

"The captain of the Kunlun has apparently escaped and returned to Peru. Agents from the Spanish company Vidal Armadores were in Phuket, working behind the scenes in their attempts to clear the ship and its cargo.

The good news is that the investigation in Phuket is being led by Police Lt. Col. Panya Chaichana of the Marine Police who has been leading investigations of human trafficking on fishing vessels; he has a good record.

The shipping company seems to be complicit in this illegal operation despite their denials."

Source http://www.seashepherd.org/commentary-and-editorials/2015/04/01/thailand-must-confiscate-the-kunlun-and-its-cargo-696

Looks like the fish will be in US restuarants and the ship will head to Indonesia and back to the antartic. It is going up for time for illegal fishing season soon.

[gregk0543]

And to finish off the story the latest from Sea Shepherd. Which says the cargo was reloaded onto the ship 5 months ago and now all has disappeared.

What a joke.

http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/news-and-commentary/news/interpol-wanted-poaching-vessel-kunlun-and-its-illegal-catch-escape-from-thailand.html

[Srikcir]

The ship was disguised as a huge jet ski.

Anyone who even touches it knows they're in for huge damage fines from the owners.

Best leave it alone just like all the other jet ski scams.

[SPB65]

Surely there are some nearby Burmese to point at ?

[steelepulse]

It appears Spain knows about it, the Seasheperd group knows about it, but the local yocals know nothing about it, but are investigating........................

[KIWIBATCH]

...The only thing that has "slipped"...is the big fat envelope....it slipped into somebody's pocket in Phuket.....and where are the fish that were on board...."slipped" into cold storage somewhere in Phuket have they...??

Keeping in mind that with the recent "crackdown" on Thai illegal fishing/slaves on board vessels etc etc...that the Thai market place was short of fish for consumption.....

So being a bit of a Sherlock...I suspect...1. an envelope changed hands in Phuket...2. the fish were unloaded...3. and the boat "slipped" away

also note that....

......Col Kitipong also declined to discuss the whereabouts of the 182 tonnes of illegal toothfish that was found on board when the boat was seized on March 6....

Note to Gen Prayuth...Dear General...please investigate this episode...it smells fishy...

[wabothai]

this vessel's hull looks like shit, but her superstructure looks very nice, and has a whole lot of antennas for a fishing vessel.

A few tons of ya ba possibly hidden under the fish. Why were the navies of Australia and NZ chasing her ?

The case smells fishy to me.

[CiaranO]

The top guy in marine five is always involved.

[fred Kubasa]

Just vaporized !

[ozyjon]

I ALSO

I refuse to enter into this post, as in the words of Manuel "I know nothing,

I refuse to enter into this post, as in the words of Seargent Scultz "I know nothing,

[bimmerbob]

The picture of the boat in this post shows to is sitting very high up in the water. If this is a recent photo of the boat after it arrived in Phuket I'm guessing it was already relieved of its illegal cargo of tooth fish. So the question really is: Where did the fish go? Follow the fish and I think the mystery will be solved...methinks it's all a bit fishy!

......nah, pic taken at low tide?

how can something like this out-run the aussie & kiwi navy?

.........article is typically difficult to read.......

[hawksway]

Like asking a Prisoner not to escape and then unlocking the door.

This is business as usual - they call it conspiracy.

[Konini]

Edit: Double post

Edited September 19, 2015 by Konini

[Konini]

I read last week (but can't remember where) that the fish that had been seized were in storage on Phuket but had disappeared, The only thing known was that the storage fees had been paid and the goods released., which made me think that it was commercial storage, but I didn't find that too odd because why would the navy have a lot of great hulking freezers which just happened to be empty, and I shook my head at the fact that nobody must have told the company not to let them go. I also shrugged that the government obviously hadn't been paying the fees.

Definitely the same story because I googled toothfish afterwards to try and find out what they are and why they are so valuable (still no wiser). I just wish I could remember where I read it.

[Jim walker]

Now if we had our submarine's like we wanted could save hundreds of police hours looking for a surface boat.

[duckmandon]

Another business that the RTP should not be in.

Let the Navy handle this.Not a police matter.

The whole matter is a load of shit. Confiscate the ship and cut it up for scrap.

I bet if a reward was offered it would be found immediately.

Reward would be given to Sea police for their investigative abilities. Just like the bangkok bombing.

[tajtom]

Just stop playing dumb and go ask your boss you zonks

[sendintheclowns]

Maybe it was too soon for the EU to grant a bit of leeway to Thailand. Although the Kunlun may be flying under a non-Thai flag, allowing it to escape should cause some heads to roll. Btw, where does the government store heads which have been rolled.?

[jamiesilver]

one word - idiots!