After authorities questioned 13 crew members from the tugboat known as the Independence, all of this became clear.
In 2009, the ship’s last known position was off the coast of Taiwan.
Muhammad Iqbal, who serves as the director at the Indonesian Department of Citizen’s Protection, clarified, “It has nothing to do with the Government … it was towed to Bangladesh for scraps by a tug boat with a Singaporean flag.”
The Myanmar Navy confirmed that the Independence encountered severe weather conditions south of the Yangon River.
According to a spokesperson, “The cables attached to the ship broke, and the ship was floating along with the tide and it was difficult to continue its journey.”
The state’s Department of Marine Administration was also reportedly involved in investigating the mystery surrounding the boat’s fate.
The Sam Rataulangi, which was built in 2001, is listed on the Marine Traffic website, which tracks the movements of ships globally.
Mysterious ships have often been spotted suddenly appearing on the high seas. For instance, it was reported that in January, 104 ghost ships, many carrying deceased sailors who had escaped from North Korea, washed up on the shores of Japan in the previous year.
