Officers lost at sea return

By SYLVESTER WEMURU
A GROUP of policemen who were deployed to arrest sea piracy suspects were lost at sea for some hours and later made their way to Bilbil Island and returned to Madang on Thursday. The policemen who received information of a boat that was travelling to Saidor station in Rai Coast, was held up with the boat skipper shot and injured and the passengers, including an employee of the Summer Institute of Linguistic, were robbed by the suspects.
The police response was assisted with fuel from a local businessmen.
The officers travelled to certain locations in the area searching for signs of the robbers but were hindered by heavy rain and rough seas. Madang police commander acting Supt Mazuc Rubiang said the officers were ordered to stop the search and return to shore because of the weather conditions.
He said police response at sea was hampered by a lack of proper navigating tools and equipment which made such operations not just a waste of resources but dangerous for police personnel.
Supt Rubiang also acknowledged the assistance of the community.