This information is provided to inform maritime situational awareness for mariners operating in the area of Semporna, Sabah
On 18 June 2019 at 0245 hours, an abduction of crew incident occurred off Semporna, Sabah on board two Malaysian Flag fishing boats. The two fishing boats accordingly were in Lahad Datu's Tambisan waters and heading towards Semporna when they were hijacked by gunmen, believed to be heavily armed, in speedboats. Accordingly, the perpetrators have taken four of the six crew members in the first fishing boat and six of the 10 crew members in the second boat.
