Pirates hijack tugboat in Riau

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Six pirates overpowered a police officer and stole a tugboat in the Riau Strait near Batam, Riau Islands, according to reports.

The pirates reportedly subdued the police escort from a local Mobile Brigade police special operations unit and took his Steyr assault rifle and the tug’s navigational equipment before fleeing.

The belongings of the boat crew were also stolen, sources said.

The commander of the Navy’s Western Fleet security detachment, Commodore Pranyoto, said the attack was likely perpetrated by the usual pirates.