PHUKET: A rogue rustbucket with a cargo of protected fish worth millions became the focus of the region's navies on the Andaman Sea today, in place of Rohingya boatpeople.
In Thailand, a major investigation is now underway into how the vessel Taishan, which had been under arrest for six months, secretly slipped anchor off Phuket in darkness on Tuesday and set sail for international waters.
Thailand's reputation is likely to be damaged by the unusual escape. As a result, all officials involved with supervising the ageing tub and its crew face questioning.
Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Navy declined to confirm or deny reports that an air and sea hunt was being mounted for the Taishan and its cargo of 182 tonnes of toothfish, poached from southern waters near Antarctica.
According to one unconfirmed report, sea and air resources including Dornier Do 228 aircraft were dispatched by the Navy to search for the rogue fishing ship.
Local authorities, however, were able to confirm to Phuketwan that the navies in neighboring countries had all been alerted and provided with a description of the Taishan and its illicit cargo, valued at millions of dollars.
It's not clear yet whether the large ship is being manned by three Spanish crew or by the crew and their Spanish captain, or on whose authority they upped anchor and sailed from Phuket waters for an unknown destination.
One of the first actions of the crew is likely to be a quick paint job to change the vessel's identity. When arrested back in March, the ancient ship was named the Kunlun, becoming the Taishan with the flick of a brush.
The vessel, which over 40 years has been the Chang Bai, the Hongshui, the Corvus, the Galaxy, Red Moon and the Dorita under a variety of national flags, is believed to be one of several operated by a gang that illegally fishes protected species for sale through Hong Kong.
Storage fees of 10 million baht for keeping the valuable cargo in refrigeration were said to have been paid before the fish were loaded back on board again in June, as Phuketwan reported at the time.
But a spokesman for a Phuket-based broker, South Services, said the Taishan fled owing two million baht to the firm.
According to an anonymous spokesperson, because the rogue fishing ship was involved in IUU fishing activities the Royal Thai Navy's Command Center to Combat Illegal Fishing had prohibited it from leaving port. ''Until it fled, Maritime Law was being enforced,'' he added.
It's difficult to imagine that the vessel, which was being watched regularly at anchor off Phuket and was last spotted at 11pm on Monday, could escape without officials knowing what was about to happen.
On learning yesterday from Phuketwan of the secret sailing, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whose vessel the Sam Simon pursued the rogue rustbucket out of its Southern Ocean poaching grounds for eight days in February, called on Australia and New Zealand to help ensure the rogue fishing ship didn't once again disappear.
In Thailand, a major investigation is now underway into how the vessel Taishan, which had been under arrest for six months, secretly slipped anchor off Phuket in darkness on Tuesday and set sail for international waters.
Thailand's reputation is likely to be damaged by the unusual escape. As a result, all officials involved with supervising the ageing tub and its crew face questioning.
Meanwhile, the Royal Thai Navy declined to confirm or deny reports that an air and sea hunt was being mounted for the Taishan and its cargo of 182 tonnes of toothfish, poached from southern waters near Antarctica.
According to one unconfirmed report, sea and air resources including Dornier Do 228 aircraft were dispatched by the Navy to search for the rogue fishing ship.
Local authorities, however, were able to confirm to Phuketwan that the navies in neighboring countries had all been alerted and provided with a description of the Taishan and its illicit cargo, valued at millions of dollars.
It's not clear yet whether the large ship is being manned by three Spanish crew or by the crew and their Spanish captain, or on whose authority they upped anchor and sailed from Phuket waters for an unknown destination.
One of the first actions of the crew is likely to be a quick paint job to change the vessel's identity. When arrested back in March, the ancient ship was named the Kunlun, becoming the Taishan with the flick of a brush.
The vessel, which over 40 years has been the Chang Bai, the Hongshui, the Corvus, the Galaxy, Red Moon and the Dorita under a variety of national flags, is believed to be one of several operated by a gang that illegally fishes protected species for sale through Hong Kong.
Storage fees of 10 million baht for keeping the valuable cargo in refrigeration were said to have been paid before the fish were loaded back on board again in June, as Phuketwan reported at the time.
But a spokesman for a Phuket-based broker, South Services, said the Taishan fled owing two million baht to the firm.
According to an anonymous spokesperson, because the rogue fishing ship was involved in IUU fishing activities the Royal Thai Navy's Command Center to Combat Illegal Fishing had prohibited it from leaving port. ''Until it fled, Maritime Law was being enforced,'' he added.
It's difficult to imagine that the vessel, which was being watched regularly at anchor off Phuket and was last spotted at 11pm on Monday, could escape without officials knowing what was about to happen.
On learning yesterday from Phuketwan of the secret sailing, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, whose vessel the Sam Simon pursued the rogue rustbucket out of its Southern Ocean poaching grounds for eight days in February, called on Australia and New Zealand to help ensure the rogue fishing ship didn't once again disappear.
well..not everyone,s got eyes in the back of their head
Posted by edward partridge on September 10, 2015 14:43