Chinese authorities were Sunday investigating claims that unidentified North Koreans hijacked a Chinese fishing boat, kidnapping 16 sailors and demanding a ransom, local media and an official said.
Armed North Koreans on May 6 hijacked the boat and escorted it towards North Korea while it was sailing in waters around 70 kilometres (40 miles) from North Korea's western coast, reports and the boat's owner Yu Xuejun said.
"The crew were taken away by a North Korean patrol boat after an armed hijacking," Yu told AFP, adding that the kidnappers had contacted him to demand a ransom of 600,000 yuan ($98,000).
"We are currently investigating (the boat owner's claims)," a section chief for the state border detachment, which is responsible for border security, in northeastern port city of Dalian, surnamed Zhao, told AFP.
The Southern Metropolis Daily said the Chinese embassy in North Korea told Yu it was "dealing with the matter".
Yu was not certain of the kidnappers' identity, but told AFP he suspected they were associated with North Korea's army.
Yu claimed to have been in contact with the 16 crew members as recently as Saturday, and said he believed they were in good health, but added that he was "worried that the North Koreans could abuse our sailors".
He had reported the incident to Chinese authorities, he said, but later posted details of the hijacking on the Internet out of frustration over an apparent lack of official action.
"It has almost been two weeks, but I haven't seen any results," he said.
The reported incident comes a year after the return of 29 fishermen also kidnapped by unidentified North Koreans who had demanded a 1.2 million yuan ransom.
The fishermen were returned without ransom after the foreign ministry said it had contacted North Korea in an effort to resolve the case, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Tensions between North Korea and China, seen as its sole major ally, have been high in recent months after North Korea carried out a nuclear test in February, a move Beijing said it "firmly opposed".
The Global Times newspaper last year quoted Dalian residents as saying North Korean coastguards had in the past captured fishing boats and stolen fuel and other items on board.
Declining fishing stocks in often heavily polluted coastal waters have pushed Chinese fishermen further afield in recent years, prompting disputes with neighbouring countries.
Calls to Dalian's city government, and the local maritime safety bureau went unanswered on Sunday.
AFP
Sun May 19 2013
![Chinese authorities investigate North Korea boat hijack claim Chinese authorities investigate North Korea boat hijack claim](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-05/71368953968_295x200.jpg)
![HUMS dijangka siap Dis 2025, beroperasi pada Jan 2026 - Zambry HUMS dijangka siap Dis 2025, beroperasi pada Jan 2026 - Zambry](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-09/51726582150_ZambryAbdKadirHU.jpg)
HUMS dijangka siap Dis 2025, beroperasi pada Jan 2026 - Zambry
HUSM dibina dengan kapasiti 400 katil, 25 bilik pembedahan, 40 katil rawatan intensif atau rapi serta 145 buah klinik pakar.
![Seorang ahli GISB akan dituduh di Mahkamah Majistret Putrajaya esok Seorang ahli GISB akan dituduh di Mahkamah Majistret Putrajaya esok](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-09/51726139346_TBCourtHammer.jpg)
Seorang ahli GISB akan dituduh di Mahkamah Majistret Putrajaya esok
Individu terbabit akan didakwa di bawah Seksyen 506 Kanun Keseksaan.
![Tetingkap Tunggal Nasional mudahkan operasi perdagangan - Tengku Zafrul Tetingkap Tunggal Nasional mudahkan operasi perdagangan - Tengku Zafrul](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-09/81726580663_TengkuZafrul.jpg)
Tetingkap Tunggal Nasional mudahkan operasi perdagangan - Tengku Zafrul
Inisiatif Tetingkap Tunggal Nasional (National Single Window) yang bakal diharmonikan bersama sistem kastam China akan memudahkan operasi perniagaan dan perdagangan antara Malaysia-China.
'Abang Bas' bebas selepas bayar ikat jamin RM40,000
'Abang Bas' yang ditahan di Pusat Koreksional, Muar, sejak Selasa lalu kerana gagal membayar ikat jamin keseluruhan berjumlah RM40,000 dibebaskan, selepas membayar semua bayaran.
10 Berita Pilihan - (17 September 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
AWANI Ringkas: PN tolak draf MoU kerana ada niat tersirat - Muhyiddin
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Ahmad Zahid gesa pemain industri TVET sokong ekosistem industri halal Ahmad Zahid gesa pemain industri TVET sokong ekosistem industri halal](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-09/41726115239_AhmadZahidHamidi.jpg)
Ahmad Zahid gesa pemain industri TVET sokong ekosistem industri halal
Ahmad Zahid berkata kewujudan lebih ramai bakat dan pakar dalam sektor halal akan mengukuhkan lagi peranan Malaysia sebagai peneraju global dalam industri.
#AWANIRingkas 17 September 2024 | 9 PM
Berikut merupakan rangkuman berita setakat 9 malam, 17 September 2024
1️⃣ PN tolak draf MoU kerana ada niat tersirat - Muhyiddin
2️⃣ Banjir: cuti anggota, pegawai bomba Kedah dibekukan
3️⃣ 'Abang bas' bebas selepas bayar ikat jamin RM40,000
#awaniringkas
1️⃣ PN tolak draf MoU kerana ada niat tersirat - Muhyiddin
2️⃣ Banjir: cuti anggota, pegawai bomba Kedah dibekukan
3️⃣ 'Abang bas' bebas selepas bayar ikat jamin RM40,000
#awaniringkas
Peruntukan pembangkang, pembangunan kawasan parlimen wajar diperundangkan - Pakar
Mantan Ahli Tetap Jawatankuasa Reformasi Pilihan Raya (ERC), Dr. G Manimaran berkata peruntukan kepada pembangkang dan dana pembangunan kawasan parlimen wajar untuk diperundangkan berbanding dibuat secara Perjanjian Persefahaman (MoU) semata-mata. Pada masa yang sama, beliau berpendapat sikap pembangkang terhadap MoU yang ditawarkan Kerajaan Perpaduan ketika ini bersifat politik semata-mata. #AgendaAWANI
MoU peruntukan pembangkang berat sebelah, sepatutnya digubal undang-undang khusus - Pakar
Timbalan Ketua (Strategi) Ibu Pejabat Asia UNSDSN, Universiti Sunway, Prof. Wong Chin Huat berkata Perjanjian Persefahaman (MoU) peruntukan pembangkang yang ada ketika ini disifatkan berat sebelah memandangkan hanya menyentuh mengenai pengisytiharan harta oleh pembangkang sahaja. Jelasnya, hal tersebut sepatutnya dilakukan secara saksama oleh semua ahli parlimen dan dilakukan berdasarkan satu Akta khusus berbanding sekadar dalam bentuk MoU. #AgendaAWANI