Sea pirates strike again

Sea pirates held up a dinghy operator on his way to pick up a Catholic priest and a nun in Milne Bay on Sunday, provincial police commander Chief Superintendent Joseph Morehari said yesterday.
He said seven armed and masked criminals held up the dinghy operator at Kaleva Point in Lawela Bay at about 5pm and stole the dinghy and the engine on Goodenough Island in the Kiriwina-Goodenough electorate.
Although Morehari would not elaborate,  Lawela Primary School head master Brian Wakasilele said the suspects forced the operator to swim ashore and they escaped with the dinghy and the engine.
“The dinghy  operator had left Bolubolu Station for the Diodio Catholic Parish when the sea pirates held him up,” he said.
Last month in the Alotau district, passengers were held up at gunpoint off the coast of Sirisiri village by sea pirates while they were on their way to Awayama from Rabaraba station.
Morehari said the victims were villagers and were on their way to Awayama village enroute to Alotau town to conduct business.