ALOR SETAR: A sunset cruise vessel was detained by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for carrying passengers beyond the allowed limit on Sunday (April 5).
Kedah and Perlis MMEA director Romli Mustafa said the vessel was detained at about 5.20pm by an MMEA patrol boat during a routine patrol 0.3 nautical miles east of Pulau Bumbon Besar.
He said inspections found that the vessel had committed an offence under the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952 for carrying passengers exceeding the permitted capacity.
"The cruise ship was operated by a skipper with five local crew members aged between 23 and 37 while conducting recreational activities at sea," he said in a statement on Monday.
He added that the individuals involved, along with the vessel and case items, were taken to the Kedah and Perlis maritime jetty for further investigation.
Romli stressed that the agency would not compromise with any party that fails to comply with safety regulations, particularly in tourism-related activities that could pose risks to passengers' lives.
"MMEA will continue to step up patrols and enforcement operations within Malaysian Maritime Zones to ensure the safety and well-being of the nation's waters are always safeguarded," he said. - Bernama
