The police team comprised members of the Port Moresby based criminal investigation division, the national security unit from McGregor and the Daru transnational crime unit, the Post-Courier newspaper reported.

 

Daru police station commander Inspector Saiwa Ricker said the villagers were responsible for an attack on Ok Tedi vessel Fly Prosperity, which was transporting 4153 tonnes of copper concentrates from Kiunga to Port Moresby.

 

Police say they pounced near the Tatami fishing camp situated at the point of Purutu island on January 15.

 

Police say the vessel, on its way down the river, ran through the fishing nets of local fishermen,

 

Upon realising that, the angry locals commandeered a banana boat and chased after the vessel with crude weapons such iron rods and axes.

 

Insp Ricker said the suspects flagged the vessel's captain and crew and demanded that they stop the vessel.

 

He said the locals then boarded, threatened the crew and ransacked the vessel's cargo.

 

He said the captain's vessel managed to take a video of the men ransacking the vessel.

 

He said they walked away with chairs, welding machines, mattresses, mobile phones, money belonging to the crew, jackets, safety boots, water bottles, frozen goods, ice cream cartons and laptops belonging to the vessel.

 

A total of K20,084 worth of private properties belonging to the crew were stolen.

 

He said the pirates, from Wapi village in the Wabada group of islands in South Fly, are detained at the Daru police station for questioning.

 

This Post-Courier report was reposted on the Facebook page of the Fly River Forum and heated debate has been recorded. The page may be viewed at this address: https://bit.ly/3KYu8d6

 

PNG Report contacted Ok Tedi spokesmen on March 3 for comment, but by the time of publishing, no response had been received.