Phuket police confirm probe underway into missing Antarctic trawler Kunlun

[gregk0543]

There is much more to this story. Multiple page write up in the New York Times back in July about this ships international gallivanting

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/28/world/a-renegade-trawler-hunted-for-10000-miles-by-vigilantes.html?_r=0

This boat has slipped away from more then just the Thai police

If you look at the crew pictures in this article and also the captains name: Chakravarty

Looks like a Thai crew to me ?????? They dont look spanish to me.

There is a hint in the article that they are Indonesian.

Edited September 19, 2015 by gregk0543

[OnTheRun]

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!

According to this site....

http://www.fis.com/fis/marketprices/species.asp?l=e&specie=193

That's over a million dollars worth of fish.

Does the Thai Govt have a department of opportunist theft?

[lynnnayko]

this is x-Files

[epicstuff]

God know what happened.

but I had a great deal on beer battered Toothfish and chips last night!!

[tumama]

Corruption, how can it be? The supreme leader said he would take care of all this.

[springheeled jack]

the ship was impounded the illegal catch was seized why wasn't the crew arrested ? incompetence by the authorities allowed the ship to sail away.

[fxe1200]

The most obvious question should be; "where is 182 tonnes of illegal toothfish that was found on board when the boat was seized on March 6."

“You can ask Thailand Maritime Enforcement Coordinating Center Area 3 about that, too” he said."

Corruption, not in Thailand.

Does the junta know about it? Who cares.

...the fish was loaded back into the ships freezers, before it left Phuket.

[Capt Rob]

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!

According to this site....

http://www.fis.com/fis/marketprices/species.asp?l=e&specie=193

That's over a million dollars worth of fish.

Does the Thai Govt have a department of opportunist theft?

For the record :

Ship's 'usually' require customs clearance from previous port, ship registration documents,manifests, ship documentation ( equipment onboard in date/complying ), de-rat certificate, oil record book, crew lists, store lists as a basic minimum.

These are checked on arrival and compared with global data. Very easy to check and cross check with previous ports by competent authorities.

Most of the above can be forged by a literate child but the verification process will/should reveal all.

Unless the ship is 'arrested', moored in a secure area and a guard posted to ensure she does not sail unlawfully, she can sail and repeat the forging process for the next port providing she has fuel, water and stores to do so.

[Brer Fox]

Has anyone looked under the water where it was moored. Maybe it just sank and no one noticed.

[soalbundy]

Another story mentioning 2 agencies I have never heard of before. There must be 100's if not 1,000s of different agencies in this country all eating up public funds none of which coordinate with one another.

yes, like that is really worrying me, whatever.

[masuk]

They should try a google search. . Try ringing them on the phone.

In March 2015 it was written:

The Interpol wanted, internationally blacklisted poaching vessel, Kunlun, has been detained in Phuket, Thailand on fisheries-related violations.

The action comes just over two months after the vessel was caught by the New Zealand Navy engaged in illegal fishing in Australian waters, and just over a month after it was intercepted by the Sea Shepherd ship, Sam Simon, in possession of banned fishing equipment, again in Australian waters.

The Kunlun, which is one of six vessels that are known to still engage in Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) fishing for toothfish in the Southern Ocean, was detained in a coordinated effort between international policing organistation, Interpol, and law enforcement authorities in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.

The Kunlun has a long history of suspected fishing violations and is believed to have links to known Spanish crime sydnicate, Vidal Armadores.

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2015/03/17/poaching-vessel-kunlun-is-detained-in-thailand-1676

So this is what was reported as 'outrunning the NZ and Australian navies" ?

It seems they only outran/outsmarted one navy.

[wombat]

priceless.

[ronthai]

Lets call this the Phuket Triangle, after the famous Bermuda Triangle

or maybe the Phuket Hexa..whatever multiple side thingies are called.

[oldsailor35]

Thai authorities are good at loosing important things, First a blond hair containing valuable DNA. Now an artic trawler. What next.

[oldsailor35]

OK I loose my glasses, my change, etc.

But HTF DO YOU LOOSE THIS?

Me thinks ! not much cargo on board this ship .

[Ulic]

Not sure what there is to investigate. The boat was there, it fueled up and left in the dead

of night. I am sure it left a sign. "GONE FISHING" somewhere at the dock.

[SCARLETIBIS1]

Last spotted parked in a certain garage between two Ferrari's.

[GOLDBUGGY]

OK I loose my glasses, my change, etc.

But HTF DO YOU LOOSE THIS?

Well she did outrun both the Australian and New Zealand Navies with a load of Tooth Fish on her, so I guess we can't judge this book by its cover. Must have rebuilt the engine and put a Hemi on it or something.

If she is back in the Antarctic then they might as well forget about it. Hard to see that baby in the snow and ice.

[Equalizer]

Just to put it into context this fish sold in portions skinned has a market value of 1.6 million USD

[csabo]

Someone forgot to remove the keys from the ignition.

..or engage the parking brake.

[mikemac]

The most amazing thing about this story is that the rustbucket known as the "Kunlun" managed to outrun the Australian and NZ Navies !

By the look of it I would be surprised if it could outrun a slow incoming tide.

The link Taco posted in post #21 is worth clicking on, a very interesting read.

[oldsailor35]

“We believe the escape was well planned, and I believe that the Kunlun must be hiding somewhere that does not have strict laws against IUUs.”

So still in Thai waters then

Probably floating between Los and Myanmar. Able to nip over either border if necessary.

[Old Croc]

The most amazing thing about this story is that the rustbucket known as the "Kunlun" managed to outrun the Australian and NZ Navies !

By the look of it I would be surprised if it could outrun a slow incoming tide.

The link Taco posted in post #21 is worth clicking on, a very interesting read.

They didn't outrun the NZ Navy, just made it impossible for them to board in rough seas, and the Australian Navy were never involved.

A Greenpeace ship used their usual clumsy tactics to harass one of these two illegal fishing boats.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-14/new-zealand-navy-attempts-to-board-illegal-fishing-boats/6016922

http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/news-and-commentary/news/sea-shepherd-intercepts-two-poaching-vessels-that-evaded-new-zealand-navy-in-australian-waters.html

[FBlue72]

They should try a google search. . Try ringing them on the phone.

In March 2015 it was written:

The Interpol wanted, internationally blacklisted poaching vessel, Kunlun, has been detained in Phuket, Thailand on fisheries-related violations.

The action comes just over two months after the vessel was caught by the New Zealand Navy engaged in illegal fishing in Australian waters, and just over a month after it was intercepted by the Sea Shepherd ship, Sam Simon, in possession of banned fishing equipment, again in Australian waters.

The Kunlun, which is one of six vessels that are known to still engage in Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) fishing for toothfish in the Southern Ocean, was detained in a coordinated effort between international policing organistation, Interpol, and law enforcement authorities in Thailand, Australia and New Zealand.

The Kunlun has a long history of suspected fishing violations and is believed to have links to known Spanish crime sydnicate, Vidal Armadores.

http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/2015/03/17/poaching-vessel-kunlun-is-detained-in-thailand-1676

Chalk up another black mark against Thailand. But really, who cares, as long as the women are cheap, pretty and young. The nation could start up fishing boat slave auctions and avoid any meaningful sanctions. Oh, wait....

[MockingJay]

“We believe the escape was well planned..." well paid would be more correct, wouldn't it?

[steelepulse]

“We believe the escape was well planned..." well paid would be more correct, wouldn't it?

Definition of well planned "Here's a very thick envelope. Anything else"? The reply " Nope, you're all set".

[oldsailor35]

The most amazing thing about this story is that the rustbucket known as the "Kunlun" managed to outrun the Australian and NZ Navies !

By the look of it I would be surprised if it could outrun a slow incoming tide.

The link Taco posted in post #21 is worth clicking on, a very interesting read.

They didn't outrun the NZ Navy, just made it impossible for them to board in rough seas, and the Australian Navy were never involved.

A Greenpeace ship used their usual clumsy tactics to harass one of these two illegal fishing boats.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-01-14/new-zealand-navy-attempts-to-board-illegal-fishing-boats/6016922

http://www.seashepherdglobal.org/news-and-commentary/news/sea-shepherd-intercepts-two-poaching-vessels-that-evaded-new-zealand-navy-in-australian-waters.html

Then NZ military authorities should send some troops to the UK to be trained into boarding vessels at sea by abseiling. Just 2 armed men could over come that vessel, and the Royal Marines could do it.

[jmccarty]

That vessel actually outran NZ and Australian patrol boats??

[a99az]

Too easy just look for the guys how are driving a new 4X4.

[waldroj]

Marvellous what gets reported by Thai media (no wonder the little general keeps losing his cool with these turkeys).

As Mark Twain said, "Never let the truth stand in the way of a good story, unless you can't think of anything better."

In this post, Phuket News are reporting that the Kunlun was seized when it arrived in Phuket on March 6 after outrunning the Australian and the New Zealand Navies.

However, according to Radio New Zealand (RNZ) on 15 January, "The (NZ) Navy had permission to board three fishing ships to verify their flagged status, after agreeing they were illegally fishing for toothfish in Antarctic waters". RNZ goes on to report, "....yesterday, the crew on HMNZS Wellington were refused entry to the Kunlun by its captain, and did not forcefully enter because it was deemed to be too dangerous", to safely board the ship due the weather conditions.

Also, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on 27 February reports that, Australian Customs officials found and intercepted the ship near the Cocos Islands. However, according to Senator Richard Colbeck (the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture), “It would be illegal for Australian officials to arrest the boat's crew because it was on the high seas”.

The attached photos show Australian Customs Officials boarding the Kunlun, and the HMNZS Wellington standing off it in Antarctic waters!

Incidentally, according to the Phuket News (Tuesday 31 March 2015), the cargo could be worth as much as US$12 million (http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-officials-waiting-for-bangkok-word-on-illegal-fishing-ship-51664.php). Now, there is a real story for them to follow.