China probes death of fishing boat captain reportedly killed by crew member

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Chinese coastguard confirms death aboard Shandong-based vessel after social media user says her father was murdered and thrown into sea

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Authorities in the Chinese city of Weihai, pictured here, say a suspect in the high-seas death of a boat captain has been “controlled”, and the vessel is returning to port. Photo: Shutterstock

Yuanyue Dangin Beijing

Published: 5:05pm, 25 Mar 2025

Authorities in China are investigating reports that a captain of a Chinese fishing boat was killed on the high seas by a crew member earlier this month.

The coastguard in the port city of Weihai in east China’s Shandong province confirmed on Monday night that a crime had taken place aboard a distant-water fishing vessel on March 11, resulting in one death.

“The suspect has been controlled and the vessel is returning to port. The case is being investigated in accordance with the law,” it said in a brief statement.

The Paper, a Shanghai-based media outlet, previously reported that a social media user said her father, the captain, had been killed by a crew member while sailing the Indian Ocean, and his body had been thrown into the sea.

The captain was still in contact with his family on March 10, but lost touch a day later. The daughter was informed on March 12 that her father had been killed, according to the report.

The user did not give the boat’s identification number or the company it belonged to, according to The Paper.

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