Pirates Hijack Tanker off Indonesia
The tanker Singa Berlian has been hijacked, off Pulau Repong, Indonesia, by armed pirates, reported anti-piracy watchdog International Maritime Bureau (IMB).
According to the report, the incident took place on March 9 at about 9 pm local time some 37 nautical miles south of Pulau Repong. Singa Berlian was boarded by seven masked men armed with guns and long knives.
The armed men held the crew hostage and took control of the ship. The 1993-built, 1,940 dwt tanker’s communication and navigational equipment were later damaged by the pirates and the vessel’s marine fuel oil cargo was transferred to another ship.
During the attack, one seafarer was slightly injured. The pirates then left the vessel.
The owner of the tanker, Sin Soon Hock, notified the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), which later dispatched their vessel for investigations.
