- Title: MALAYSIA-TANKER Missing Singapore-owned tanker found off Malaysia
- Date: 9th August 2015
- Summary: PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA (AUGUST 9, 2015) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** NEWS CONFERENCE GIVEN BY MALAYSIA MARITIME ENFORCEMENT AGENCY (MMEA) VICE ADMIRAL AHMAD PUZI AB KAHAR CAMERAMAN FILMING (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Malaysia) VICE ADMIRAL OF MMEA, AHMAD PUZI AB KAHAR SAYING: "We didn't receive any information at the early stage of the search but thank God aroun
- Embargoed: 24th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Malaysia
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA8PM6K721C5FKJNXOG89FSI9GU
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Authorities rescued a Singaporean tanker in the Straits of Malacca on Sunday (August 9) after it was reported missing with 10 crew onboard, a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency official said.
The 3,500-tonne oil tanker was on its way to Malaysia's Langkawi after departing from the Indonesian island of Tanjung Pinang.
Vice Admiral of Malaysia's Maritime Enforcement Agency said it was a robbery case but no one has been arrested as the suspects fled the scene before the tanker was located by search teams.
"We didn't receive any information at the early stage of the search but thank God around 8.40 a.m. local time (0040GMT) this morning our search aircraft located it. It was 13 miles from the east of Rupat Island of Indonesia, which is about two nautical miles from the border of Indonesia," Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar told a news conference in the administrative capital Putrajaya.
Nine crew members are Indonesian and one Singaporean. Two of them sustained minor injuries and have been attended to, Ahmad Puzi added.
An investigation is underway and authorities are looking for 10 suspects, he said.
Two oil tankers were hijacked in June, sparking concerns over safety in Southeast Asia waters.
"What we can say now is, for example, we'll first look into the possibility that it is linked to the previous cases. If we wanted to link the incidents then we'll need to find out what is common element among the cases. But we would need time to investigate that," he said. "The commitment by our neighbours together with us can ensure the safety of all mariners in using our straits and waters in the South China Sea."
Attacks on merchant naval vessels are increasing in Asia, data from the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) showed.
There were 80 actual and attempted pirate attacks in Asia between January and May, up nearly 20 per cent compared with 67 in the same period last year, ReCAAP figures showed. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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