Question : HIJACKING OF JAPANESE VESSEL

(a) whether the Government are aware of the reported hijacking of Japanese vessel carrying thousand tonnes of crude oil from Malaysia to Haldia by Sea Pirates at Mallakka Jaldamrumadhya in the recent past;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Sea Pirates of Mallakka Jaldamrumadhya area have been hijacking the foreign vessels in the area on regular basis in connivance with coastal guards of Indian Navy;

(d) whether the Government propose to check such rising terrorism of pirates in Indian Ocean; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF DEFENCE

(SHRI GEORGE FERNANDES)

(a) to (e): A Statement is attached.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5929 FOR 4.5.2000.

The Government is aware of the news item captioned `Ship for Haldia vanishes at sea` that appeared in the Telegraph dated 4th March, 2000. The Indian Coast Guard was first informed of the vessel MT Global Mars not having reached its destination by the Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) Kuala Lumpur on the 29th February, 2000. The said vessel had departed Port Kelang in Malaysia on 22nd February, 2000 for Haldia with 6000 MT of Palm oil products and it was presumed to have been hijacked. On receipt of the information, CG ships and aircraft were alerted to keep sharp look out for the said vessel while on routine surveillance in the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.

2. The 17 crew members of the missing ship were, subsequently rescued by a fishing boat off the west coast of Thailand on 10th March, 2000. The rescued crew informed the Police authorities in Thailand that the vessel was hijacked on 24th February, 2000 by about 20 masked and armed pirates.

3. The Coast Guard and the Navy, have, individually and jointly been conducting regular patrolling of maritime zone to prevent incidents of theft/robbery. There is no evidence of their connivance with the sea pirates.