Asia/Pacific News
5 Orkim Harmony Pirates Still at Large
Deputy director-general Vice-Admiral Maritime Datuk Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) says that a total of 13 individuals were involved in the hijacking of MT Orkim Harmony, including eight in custody and another five that still remain at large, local media reports.
"The five are currently still at large. In the meantime, we are using all means to ensure the eight are extradited to Malaysia so we can question them further," said Ahmad Puzi.
The five individuals still at large were said to be manning a tugboat that was used to approach Orkim Harmony.
The tug boat was reportedly found deserted in Batam over the weekend by the Indonesian Navy.
On Monday, it was reported that the MMEA confirmed that the eight men in custody had admitted to hijacking the vessel.
Ahmad Puzi has also said that Vietnamese authorities' investigation has revealed that the suspects were "seasoned criminals."
"Looking at how they conducted the robbery, switching off the Automatic Identification System (AIS) so they could go undetected and how they were found with wads of cash on board, it showed that they knew what they were doing," said Ahmad Puzi.
The Orkim Harmony was located last Thursday after going missing for a week off the coast of Pu Aur, Malaysia.
Earlier this month Orkim Harmony's sister vessel, Orkim Victory, was also targeted by bunker pirates while transiting the same area.
