A Chinese barge has been detained by Malaysia for allegedly looting World War II British warship wrecks. The incident has raised concerns about the protection of underwater cultural heritage and the need for international cooperation to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.
The Chinese barge was detained by Malaysian authorities on July 17, 2020, in the waters off the coast of Johor. The barge was reportedly carrying a large amount of scrap metal, including parts of a British warship that sank during World War II. The ship, HMS Repulse, was sunk by Japanese bombers in 1941 and is considered a war grave.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said that the barge was intercepted after it was spotted by a patrol boat. The MMEA said that the barge had no permit to carry out salvage operations in Malaysian waters and that it had violated international laws protecting underwater cultural heritage.
The incident has sparked outrage among historians and heritage experts who have called for stricter measures to protect underwater cultural heritage. The looting of shipwrecks is a serious problem worldwide, with many valuable artifacts being lost or destroyed due to illegal salvage operations.
The looting of shipwrecks is not only a violation of international laws but also a threat to the preservation of history and culture. Shipwrecks are important historical artifacts that provide valuable insights into the past. They are also important for scientific research and can help us understand how ships were built and how they functioned.
The incident has also highlighted the need for international cooperation to prevent the looting of shipwrecks. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has called for greater cooperation among countries to protect underwater cultural heritage.
UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, which was adopted in 2001, aims to protect underwater cultural heritage from looting and destruction. The convention calls on countries to take measures to prevent the looting of shipwrecks and to cooperate with each other to protect underwater cultural heritage.
The Malaysian authorities have said that they will investigate the incident and take appropriate action against those responsible. The Chinese embassy in Malaysia has also said that it will cooperate with the Malaysian authorities in the investigation.
The incident has once again highlighted the importance of protecting underwater cultural heritage and the need for international cooperation to prevent the looting of shipwrecks. It is hoped that this incident will serve as a wake-up call for countries to take stronger measures to protect underwater cultural heritage and to work together to prevent the looting of shipwrecks.
