Two robbers were seen on board a barge under tow by a Singapore-flagged tug in the Vung Tau anchorage area, Vietnam. The Master requested a nearby patrol vessel to approach and arrest the perpetrators. As the patrol vessel approached, a further two perpetrators were discovered transferring scrap metal. As a result of a short struggle, all four perpetrators were detained and admitted carrying out property theft on foreign ships in the area. An investigation revealed that approximately 1.5 tonnes of scrap iron had been stolen.
This is the first reported incident of this type to occur in the vicinity of the Mekong Delta this year. The last reported incident in this area was a Robbery involving a Bulk Carrier in October of 2022.
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