Kuala Terengganu: The Terengganu Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) detained a local fishing vessel that employed crew without valid documents at a position about 23 nautical miles off the Kuala Terengganu estuary yesterday.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the agency’s director, Maritime Captain Hamiludin Che Awang, stated that an inspection of the vessel by personnel on daily patrolling duty revealed that four male crew members, including the skipper, were Myanmar nationals aged between 38 and 48, and did not possess valid documents.

The crew was detained for committing offenses under the Fisheries Act 1985 and the Immigration Act 1959/1963 during the 2 pm incident. All of them, including the vessel, were brought to a maritime jetty to be handed over to investigating officers.

Hamiludin reminded fishing boat operators not to employ foreign crew without valid documents, emphasizing that the MMEA will not compromise with any party that violates Malaysian maritime laws.