Suspect detained for allegedly killing captain of Chinese fishing boat in international waters

(ECNS) -- A Chinese fishing boat captain was allegedly killed by a crew member in international waters earlier this month in a case of maritime violence involving a distant-water fishing vessel, the Weihai Coast Guard in Shandong Province said Monday.

According to the statement released by authorities, a criminal incident occurred on March 11 aboard a Rongcheng-based long-distance fishing vessel, resulting in one death. The suspect has been detained, and the vessel is returning to port for further investigation. The boat is expected to dock in early April.

The case came to light after a social media post on Chinese social media platform RedNote last Thursday by a user nicknamed Xiaoxing, who claimed her father, the captain of the ship, was killed and thrown overboard in the Indian Ocean.

The victim departed Rongcheng, Weihai, on August 26, 2024, for a fishing expedition originally scheduled to end in late June 2025, according to the post.

Xiaoxing said her father had started to work at sea when she was young. Last year, he boarded the fishing vessel to earn money for the family.

At 7:30 a.m. on March 11, the victim ended his call with Xiaoxing's mother, however, by 11 a.m. that morning, he lost contact with his family. The next afternoon, Xiaoxing received a call from an aunt using her mother's WeChat account, urging her to return home immediately and told her that something had happened to her father.

Xiaoxing said her father is supportive and always attentive. "He loved me and my mom deeply," she said. If the neighbors need help, he will certainly take the initiative to help and do things well, she added.

(By Zhang Dongfang)