S'pore, RI hold joint sea patrols

S'pore, RI hold joint sea patrols

SINGAPORE: The Singapore and Indonesian navies have been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Singapore Strait and Phillip Channel as part of an ongoing crackdown, the defense ministry said on Tuesday.

The Singapore Police Coastguard and the Indonesian police were also involved.

"These patrols, established since 1992, have been a highly effective co-operative arrangement against sea robberies, and the designated area of operation has been free of sea robberies over the past two years," the ministry said in a statement.

According to the International Maritime Bureau's Piracy Reporting Center, worldwide actual or attempted piracy attacks hit a 10-year quarterly high of 68 over January to March.

Indonesia accounted for 23 incidents, with at least nine in the Malacca Strait separating it from Malaysia. --AFP