World News | ReCAAP Reports 27 Incidents of Sea Robbery in Straits of Singapore-Malacca
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. Twenty-seven incidents of sea robbery have been reported in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) since January 2025, according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC) on Wednesday.
Singapore, Mar 20 (PTI) Twenty-seven incidents of sea robbery have been reported in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS) since January 2025, according to the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC) on Wednesday.
The ReCAAP ISC said it is concerned with the increasing number of incidents in SOMS compared to the corresponding period of 2024 (January 1 – March 19, 2024), where nine incidents were reported.
The ReCAAP ISC has also alerted the maritime community on the occurrence of incidents of sea robbery onboard barges towed by tug boats while underway during March 16-17, 2025.
Three incidents of sea robbery were reported between March 16–17, 2025, onboard barges towed by tug boats while underway in the SOMS. Two incidents occurred onboard the same barge towed by the tugboat.
The first incident occurred on March 16, while the tugboat and barge were underway at the eastern approaches to the SOMS, and the second incident occurred on March 17, while the tugboat and barge were in the precautionary area of Singapore Strait (SS). Both incidents occurred within an interval of 24 hours.
On March 16, another incident occurred on a container barge towed by a tug boat while transiting in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme. Some scrap metal was stolen in two incidents, and a gangway was stolen in another incident. The crew members were not injured in all three incidents, according to ReCAPP ISC.
The ReCAAP ISC urges the littoral States to increase patrols/surveillance in their respective waters, respond promptly to incidents reported by ships, strengthen coordination and promote information sharing on incidents and criminal groups involved to arrest the perpetrators.
Ships are advised to intensify vigilance and maintain a sharp lookout while transiting the areas of concern.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)