Malaysia detains Chinese vessel suspected of plundering World War II shipwrecks

The Malaysian coastguard announced Tuesday that they were interrogating the crew of a Chinese vessel that was detained on suspicion of plundering two shipwrecks from the British World War II era. During the inspection of the Chinese-registered vessel, officials discovered unexploded cannon shells. Nurul Hizam Zakaria, the Chief of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency in Johor state, stated that the focus of their investigation was to determine the origin of these cannon shells. Multiple agencies are currently searching the large ship for further evidence. The vessel, originating from Fuzhou, China, had a crew of 32 individuals, including 21 Chinese nationals, 10 Bangladeshis, and one Malaysian. Some of the crew members are under police custody for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation. In addition to the suspicion of looting, the case involves the discovery of explosives. An anonymous senior maritime official informed AFP that the metal fragments and cannon shells found on board the ship might have come from two sunken British warships. Photos and a video shared by the coastguard depicted corroded metal pieces, shells, as well as a substantial crane and gas torches used for metal cutting. The coastguard suggested that these shells could be related to the unexploded World War II-era ordnance discovered at a jetty in Johor on May 19, according to a statement released on Monday. Nurul Hizam emphasized that the Malaysian maritime agency would not tolerate any illegal salvage operations within Malaysian waters. Safeguarding and preserving their national treasures was of utmost importance, and looting was condemned as an uncivilized act. In the South China Sea, the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, British warships, fell victim to torpedo attacks by Japanese aircraft, resulting in the tragic loss of hundreds of British sailors. This assault occurred on December 10, 1941, just three days after the Japanese attack on the US fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. According to the BBC, the Ministry of Defence in Britain has strongly condemned the “desecration” of these maritime military graves. There have been reports indicating that scavengers have specifically targeted the wrecks of these two World War II vessels. Recent articles in Malaysia’s New Straits Times newspaper have revealed that illegal salvage operators have focused on extracting high-grade aluminum and brass fixtures from the British warships. (With inputs from agencies)