Chinese barge detained in Malaysia for suspected looting of WWII shipwrecks
A Chinese-registered vessel is suspected of looting two British warship wrecks, HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales, off the coast of central Pahang state in the South China Sea. The wrecks are designated war graves, and the alleged raid is considered a "desecration" of graves. Malaysia's maritime agency found a cannon shell believed to be from World War II on the Chinese barge carrier and is investigating the matter. Old shipwrecks are targeted by scavengers for their rare low-background steel, also known as "pre-war steel," which is valuable for use in medical and scientific equipment.