Oil rig robbery: Crew member's video call with wife led to arrest of four

KOTA TINGGI - A video call between a wife and her husband, who is a crew member of an oil platform at Tanjung Langsat Port, near Pasir Gudang, proved crucial in saving his and his co-workers’ lives during a robbery on the oil rig two days ago.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) acting deputy director-general (logistics) Vice-Admiral (M) Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim said that during the incident, which occurred at about 10.30 pm on Monday (April 24), only two male crew members aged 24 and 32 were on the platform, which is located 0.7 nautical miles northeast of the port’s jetty.

He said quick action by the crew member’s wife, who reported the incident to the maritime authorities when she saw her husband’s mobile phone being snatched by an individual during their video call, helped them arrest all four robbers.

"A Maritime patrol boat arrived at the scene at 12.30 am on Tuesday (April 25) after receiving the report and found a fibreglass boat used by the four suspects under the platform.

"Realising the presence of the patrol boat, the four suspects sunk it, possibly to dispose of evidence before clinging onto the platform’s pillars and jumping into the sea. However, they were arrested,” he told a media conference at the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone, here, today.

He said the four suspects, aged between 27 and 47, wore face masks and were armed with parangs.

He added that not only did the men attack and punch both victims, but they also gagged their mouths and tied their hands and legs before locking them up in a cabin.

However, he said both the crew members managed to untie themselves after being locked up for two hours and hid until the authorities arrived.

Saiful Lizan said the four men, two of whom are brothers, managed to steal several metal cables, oil rig work equipment and two mobile phones belonging to the victims, with total losses still under investigation.

He said that investigations also found that three of the four suspects had criminal records for, among others, drugs and possession of dangerous weapons.

All four have been remanded for five days from yesterday (April 25) and the case is being investigated under Section 391 of the Penal Code for gang robbery. - BERNAMA