Masked men tried to steal fish: Police

Police have confirmed that masked men who boarded a fishing vessel docked in Suva last week were alleged to have tried to steal fish.

The violent incident, which occurred on April 18, involved a group of men boarding the vessel which was docked for repairs and attacked crew members in what police are treating as an aggravated bur- glary case.

A now-viral video circulating on Facebook captured chaotic scenes inside the vessel, showing masked men believed to be iTaukei, spraying a fire extinguisher and hurled objects at shirtless crew members believed to be of Asian descent.

The footage quickly drew public attention and raised concerns over the safety of docked vessels and foreign crew members in Fiji’s waters.

“A number of people have been questioned in relation to the report of an attack on a fishing vessel at the floating dock in Suva on the April 18, 2025,” the Fiji Police Force said in a statement.

“Investigators are following a number of leads and have questioned a number of people in relation to the aggravated burglary case.  Investigations continue.”

Authorities have not confirmed how many suspects were involved or whether any arrests have been made.

Police say they are working to identify all individuals featured in the video.

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