Lighthouse vandalism leaves ships vulnerable

By MALINDA KALE
THREE suspects have been arrested for allegedly removing lights and batteries from a lighthouse along the coast of Northern, police commander Michael Welly said.
National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) chief executive officer Paul Unas said the offence was disgusting as the removal endangered small craft and ship in the area.
He said without the indicators, small craft and ships were placed at high risk.
Welly said two of the suspects were males and the other a female, all from Deboin village. They were arrested and released on bail, and are waiting for their hearing in court.
The incident occurred last month over a land-ownership dispute between two parties in the Deboin community.
Welly said instruments installed on the coastlines were for the safety of people travelling by sea.
He said people should take ownership and protect the instruments.
“If people have any landowner issues, there are avenues that they can take up their grievances to resolve rather than them taking up actions and resorting to vandalism and thus putting lives at risk,”Welly said.
He said the matter was reported to police by a lighthouse committee.
Unas said the assets and equipment were owned by the State and any alleged act of vandalism on aids to navigation was a serious offence as it was imposing a high risk of possible grounding of ships and was punishable by law.
He said these infrastructures served not only large merchant vessels but also local fisherman who could depend on the flashes.