Tag: vessel

8 Indonesians Confess To Hijacking Malaysian-Registered Tanker Orkim Harmony

PETALING JAYA (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – The eight suspects in the hijacking of Malaysian oil tanker MT Okim Harmony have confessed to the crime.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency deputy director-general (operations) Maritime Vice-Admiral Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar confirmed that the suspects, who are all Indonesian nationals, had made the confession to the Vietnamese authorities.

Datuk Ahmad Puzi added that they were closely monitoring the situation, but declined to comment further.

The eight were arrested in Vietnamese waters near Tho Chu Island after they reportedly fled the MT Orkim Harmony in a rescue boat at 8.30pm on Thursday.

Before that, they had directed the Navy to move its ships about five nautical miles (9km) from the MT Orkim Harmony, threatening to harm the crew.

The vanishing act was only found out at about 1am on Friday when the captain of the seized oil tanker contacted the KD Terengganu.

The ship’s captain did not inform the navy immediately of their escape as the pirates threatened to harm his family if he did so.

The tanker – owned by Magna Meridian Sdn Bhd and carrying 6,000 tonnes of petrol worth RM21 million (S$7.5 million) belonging to Petronas – had been reported missing since June 11 while on its way from Malacca to Kuantan Port, Pahang.

The vessel that was reported to be adrift in Cambodian waters then suddenly changed course to the east towards Natuna Island, Indonesia.

It had also been repainted and renamed ‘Kim Harmon’ by the pirates.

The oil tanker with 21 crew members arrived at Kuantan Port on Saturday morning.

One of its crew members, an Indonesian cook, was flown by helicopter to Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital on Friday for treatment after he was shot in the thigh.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

June 22, 2015
Singapore-Registered Fishing Vessel Detained In Malaysia

A Singapore-registered fishing vessel and its four crew members have been detained in Malaysia for alleged illegal fishing in its waters.

The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) on Thursday (May 28) confirmed the incident.

“We are aware that an AVA-licensed fishing vessel, SMF1195, has been detained by the Malaysian authorities,” an AVA spokesperson said, in response to queries from Channel 8 News.

“Singapore understands that the fishing vessel was in Singapore waters when it was first approached by the Malaysian authorities. Singapore has registered our concerns with Malaysia over this incident and is in contact with the Malaysian authorities.”

Channel 8 News understands that Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also investigating the incident.

The vessel’s owner, Lian Yak Fish Merchant, said the boat was about four nautical miles off Pedra Branca at 6am on Tuesday, when it was approached by a Malaysian patrol boat. The fishing vessel was later detained at Kota Tinggi in Johor.

Lian Yak Fish Merchant also said the three Malaysian officials had boarded the fishing vessel and told them to head towards Sedili in Kota Tinggi. “We arrived the next day, and the crew members were detained without bail,” the company said.

Lian Yak Fish Merchant added that the vessel was probably not in Malaysian waters, as it had been fishing in the area for more than 40 years, and even though it had misunderstandings previously, they were resolved.

“Our vessels are equipped with global positioning systems so their locations are clearly indicated. The crew wouldn’t enter Malaysian waters. They also recorded their position at that time, and they are very clear of where they are,” the company’s business development manager explained.

The four crew members are foreigners between the ages of 36 and 62, and they are slated to appear in court next Tuesday, the firm added.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

May 29, 2015
Singapore-Flagged Vessel Fired At By Iranian Forces In International Waters

WASHINGTON: Five Iranian boats fired shots across the bow of a Singapore-flagged vessel in the international waters off the Gulf on Thursday (May 14).

The captain of the oil and chemical tanker told Channel NewsAsia that the vessel, Alpine Eternity, was first approached by two armed skiffs, which are small vessels consistent with those used by Iranian forces in the Gulf.

He recounted that three more skiffs arrived later and shots were fired. He was then ordered to stop the vessel, but he refused. The captain was then told to head to the Iranian port of Abu Musa, an island in the Gulf. The captain said he again refused the order, and headed to Dubai’s territorial waters.

The captain added that he was 15 miles off the Iranian coast at the time of the incident, and that would put the vessel three miles outside the territorial waters of Iran.

The ship apparently does not appear to have been hit and there were no reports of injuries. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) confirmed that all the crew members are safe, and that no Singaporeans were on board the vessel.

The captain said he will conduct a full assessment of the ship to check for damage.

The Pentagon said it is investigating reports that five small speedboats manned by members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard fired shots across the bow of the tanker. It is not clear why the Iranian Revolutionary Guards started opening fire.

However, Reuters reported that Iran had attempted to intercept the vessel in international waters because Tehran says the tanker is liable for damage to an Iranian-owned oil platform it hit on Mar 22, quoting a US official speaking on condition of anonymity.

A US Navy warship was in the area, but it was apparently not contacted for help by the captain of the Alpine Eternity, who shortly after the incident turned his craft around.

As of Thursday evening, MPA said the tanker was the territorial waters of UAE.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

May 15, 2015