The owner of a recreational vessel from the territory, Double Shot, is puzzled as to why Samoan authorities seized the vessel during a trip to Apia last week.
Mr. Peter Crispin said the boat had gone to Apia to deliver a body for cremation and had all the necessary paperwork.
He said they’ve made similar trips in the past, and did not encounter any problems.
A report in the Samoa Observer newspaper said the reason the vessel was detained was because travelers on board did not have proper documentation.
But Mr. Crispin disputed this saying that all of the required paperwork for the body and the family members that traveled were in order. “We’ve made similar trips in the past so we understand the process,” he explained.
He was later told by the boat captain that the Samoan authorities said the vessel needed a commercial license to operate trips to Apia.
The vessel was detained and was fined $5,000 tala before it could be released to return to Pago Pago. It arrived from Apia on Tuesday.
Photo: Samoa Observer
