KOTA KINABALU: Sabah MMEA seized a boat and detained its skipper for carrying passengers beyond the permitted limit.
Sabah and Labuan MMEA director First Admiral Datuk Che Engku Suhaimi Che Engku Daik said the crew of the patrol boat Kilat 39 detected and detained the passenger boat in waters off Kota Kinabalu.
The vessel was at approximately 0.56 nautical miles south off Mamutik Island.
He added that further inspection revealed that, in addition to the registration number on the boat's body not meeting the specified standards, the engine serial number also did not match what was recorded in the licence.
The boat and its skipper were subsequently detained and brought to the Sepanggar jetty for further investigation.
The total value of the seizure is estimated at nearly RM80,000.
On Jan 28, 2017, a catamaran carrying 28 Chinese tourists with three crew members was capsized en route to to Mengalum island. Three died and five were listed as missing.
The boat had exceeded its 12-passenger capacity and had used undesignated jetty at Kampung Tanjung Aru Lama near here.
The owner of the boat was subsequently charged in court with causing death by negligence.