Malaysian Ship Allegedly Illegally Hit Thai Patrol, Shot to Sink

JAKARTA - A Thai Navy patrol ship fired warning shots at a Malaysian fishing trawler suspected of illegal fishing in Thai waters. The incident resulted in the sinking of the ship and the detention of its crew.

Thai Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaiyapan said the incident began on February 20, 2026 after Thai fishermen reported eight to ten Malaysian small-scale fishing boats illegally fishing in Thai territorial waters, about eight nautical miles from Lipe Island.

Following up on the report, the Thai Navy Region Three Command deployed a patrol boat to conduct an inspection.

Based on reports from local fishermen, reported by Sputnik, Sunday, February 22, at least 10 Malaysian ships are in Thai waters.

The patrol boat then used a loudspeaker to order the ships to turn off their engines and prepare for inspection.

Most of the trawlers reportedly tried to leave Thai waters. However, one boat maneuvered very close to the patrol boat with an indication of wanting to hit.

"Most of the trawlers tried to leave Thai waters immediately, but one ship maneuvered very close to the Navy ship with clear indications of wanting to hit," Parach told reporters.

According to him, the patrol crew then fired warning shots. In the incident, one of the trawl crew was injured, two others were detained, and the ship eventually sank.

Parach added that the three crew members of the Malaysian trawler were Thai citizens who worked under contract in Malaysia.

The injured victim has been receiving treatment at a hospital in Satun Province, the southernmost region of Thailand which borders directly with Malaysia. Meanwhile, the other two crew members were handed over to local law enforcement and detained by court decision.

This incident adds to the list of tensions related to illegal fishing practices in the waters of the two countries' border areas.