Equatorial Guinea Suspends 300 vessels for illegal Flag Use 

Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang says Equatorial Guinea has suspended more than 300 fishing vessels for fraudulently flying its flag. <br />He says of the 368 vessels fishing under the Equato-guinean flag, only 20 were registered with the ministry of transport and the International Maritime Organisation. <br />In April 2022, Equatorial Guinea suspended 395 vessels for illegally sailing under its flag. <br />It followed the sinking of Xelo - a fishing vessel - in Tunisian territorial waters. <br />The vessel, allegedly flying the Equatorial Guinea flag, sank under suspicious circumstances, prompting the country to file a criminal lawsuit against its owners. <br />Mr Obiang Mangue subsequently sought international assistance and urged other countries to report vessels illegally flying the Equatorial Guinea flag.