[Previous Reporting Period]
A robbery has been reported aboard a Marshall Islands-flagged Bulk Carrier ARIANA while underway in the Eastbound lane of the Malacca Strait, off Pulau Karimum Kechil.
While underway, the master reported to Singapore VTIS via VHF that the ship's crew sighted one perpetrator in the steering gear room. The perpetrator was armed with a shovel-like weapon. The master sounded the alarm and mustered the crew. A search on board the ship was conducted, and there was no further sighting of the perpetrator. The ship was proceeding to Singapore anchorage from the West at the time of the incident.
Safety navigational broadcast was initiated. The RSN's MSTF and Singapore Police Coast Guard were notified of the incident. Information of the incident was shared with the Indonesian authorities. The Singapore Police Coast Guard boarded the ship on her arrival and found no perpetrator on board. The crew was accounted for, no injuries to the crew, no loss of property and no further assistance was required. She continued on her passage to Singapore.
ANALYSIS: This is the 38th incident reported within the vicinity of the Singapore & Malacca Straits since the beginning of the year; the fourth in June.
Five similar incidents were reported in May, in which property was stolen aboard five of the vessels, including scrap metal and engine parts. All but two of the incidents occurred while vessels were underway. In most cases, robbers were discovered by duty crew in or near the vessels' engine room, and armed with knives.
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