Malaysian media reported that unlawful salvage operators are believed to have focused the HMS Repulse and the HMS Prince of Wales, which had been sunk in 1941 by Japanese torpedoes days after the assault on Pearl Harbor.
A complete of 842 sailors perished, and the shipwrecks off the coast of Malaysia’s central Pahang state are designated conflict graves. Fishermen and divers alerted authorities after recognizing a international vessel close to the realm final month.
The maritime company detained the barge, registered in Fuzhou, China, on Sunday for anchoring and not using a allow off southern Johor state. Upon investigation, the company discovered piles of scrap steel and an artillery shell believed to be from World War II on the vessel.
The company mentioned a radical search on Tuesday discovered 100 extra artillery shells of varied sizes on the Chinese vessel. It mentioned the shells had been taken by the police bomb disposal unit to be detonated.
It mentioned it “does not rule out the possibility that the vessel … is the same ship that plundered the British warships”.
Britain’s National Museum of the Royal Navy mentioned final week it was “distressed and concerned at the apparent vandalism for personal profit”.
Known as prewar metal, the fabric from the 2 warships is effective and might be smelted to be used in manufacturing of delicate scientific and medical tools.
The maritime company mentioned it believes the artillery shells are linked to the police seizure of dozens of artillery shells and different relics at a scrapyard in Johor earlier this month. The New Straits Times newspaper mentioned the shells are believed to be from the warships and that police performed on-site managed detonations of them.
The company mentioned there have been 32 crew members aboard the barge — 21 Chinese, 10 Bangladeshis and a Malaysian.
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In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning informed reporters that the federal government has requested Malaysia to “handle the case fairly in accordance with law”. She mentioned Chinese residents’ security and legit rights and pursuits should be protected and urged Malaysia to inform Beijing of the progress of the investigation.
It isn’t the primary time the 2 shipwrecks have been focused.
The New Straits Times reported that international treasure hunters used home made explosives in 2015 to interrupt the heavy metal plates on the ships for straightforward plundering. Other media mentioned authorities detained a Vietnamese vessel concerned in looting the wreckage on the time.
Source: www.9news.com.au
