Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], May 31 (ANI): Malaysian authorities have seized a Chinese-flagged cargo ship amid experiences of the salvaging of World War II shipwrecks in Malaysia’s unique financial zone, CNN reported quoting state-run Bernama news company.
According to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the ship was detained and boarded when it was found that it lacked the required permits to anchor in Malaysian seas.
An inspection of the ship “led to the discovery of old steel and cannon shells,” in keeping with the report.
According to the report, police, the Malaysian Marine Department, and the National Heritage Department will examine to find if the shells are from World War II.
It was talked about within the report that “a foreign salvage ship was conducting an illegal operation to salvage steel from a British warship that sank” within the space.
The problem was being investigated underneath Malaysia’s Merchant Shipping Ordinance, which regulates underwater operations amongst different actions, CNN reported citing Bernama.
The ruins of two British warships, the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the cruiser HMS Repulse, have been sunk by Japanese aeroplanes on December 10, 1941, simply two days after Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii.
The assault by dozens of Japanese planes armed with bombs and torpedoes killed 842 individuals. Under British legislation, the wreckage is recognised as battle graves.
Reports of the suspected salvaging of the wrecks sparked outrage within the United Kingdom.
“We are distressed and concerned at the apparent vandalism for the personal profit of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse,” said professor Dominic Tweddle, director common of the National Museum of the Royal Navy, in an announcement, in keeping with CNN.
The assertion added, “They are designated war graves. We are upset at the loss of naval heritage and the impact this has on the understanding of our Royal Navy history.”John Bradford, a senior fellow on the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore mentioned that marine salvage “is an emotional business.”He added, “Too many people, this feels more like robbing the graves of national heroes rather than reclaiming scrap,” CNN reported.
International legislation on the rescue of wrecked battleships is murky, in keeping with a 2017 report from the Peace Palace Library at The Hague within the Netherlands.
The HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, working out of Singapore, was sunk after being attacked by land-based Japanese aeroplanes whereas trying to confront a Japanese amphibious touchdown on the Malaysian coast.
Their sinking is considered one of many worst maritime disasters in Royal Navy historical past.
It was additionally one of many first fights to display that even probably the most highly effective fashionable warships, such because the Prince of Wales, have been weak within the absence of supporting air energy.
The Japanese planes attacked the British ships from airstrips all through the area, with no British air safety for the 2 floor ships after an plane service that was meant to accompany them in what was named “Force Z” ran aground throughout its voyage to the Pacific, CNN reported. (ANI)