MAGTRANS II

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Empty fisherboat found in vicinity of attacked tug

A skipper and three fishermen have gone missing in Pegasus Reef waters near Kinabatangan here the same area where a group of armed attackers invaded the "Magtrans II" on Dec 5. The men’s disappearance was discovered during an investigation of the attack on the tug. Security forces conducting an inspection of the area found the deserted fishing boat in the vicinity, with its engine still running. Later that day, they received a report from the owner of the fishing boat that his crew was missing. It was not sure whether they were kidnapped by the same armed group which tried to storm the tug. Two of the missing fishermen are Malaysian, while two were foreigners, aged between 20 and 40. There has been no call from any group claiming responsibility for the disappearance. In the 6.30 p.m. incident on Nov 5, four men in a speedboat fired shots at the "Magtrans II" and stormed the vessel with 13 crew members onboard. Amidst the melee, a crew member fired 10 shots of a flare gun, prompting the attackers to jump into the sea and flee the scene. The tug was travelling from Bintulu, Sarawak to Papua New Guinea to fetch timber. The injured skipper was recuperating at the Lahad Datu Hospital.

Pirate attack repelled

Armed pirates tried to hijack the "Magtrans II" near Kinabatangan in the evening of Dec 5, 2018, and injured the master before getting away at Pegasus reef at 6.30 p.m. Four masked suspects, armed with M16s, stormed the tug which was carrying 13 crew members. They fired shots at the ship twice, with one bullet hitting the skipper, Didy Saviady, on his left thigh. The crew scrambled and took shelter inside the vessel, locking the doors while the suspects boarded the tug.One of the crew, on the thirddeck fired about 10 shots from flare guns at the suspects, causing them to panic and flee by diving into the water and getting to their boat before speeding away. The suspects were travelling in a four-engine powered boat. Police have yet to identify the suspects. The tug was travelling to Papua New Guinea to pick up timber when it was stopped in Sabah’s waters. Marine police, responding to the distress calls, arrived at the scene to investigate and take the injured victim to Lahad Datu Hospital for treatment. The case was being investigated under Section 3 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 for discharging a firearm. The police were also trying to ascertain if the suspects later robbed another vessel.