Malaysian ship with Indian crew goes missing in South China Sea, may have been hijacked

[Hindustani78]

Last Updated: Thursday, September 10, 2015 - 17:52
Malaysian ship with Indian crew goes missing in South China Sea, may have been hijacked | Zee News

Kuala Lumpur: A cargo ship missing for a week with 14 crew members, including Indians, is feared to have been hijacked in the piracy-prone South China Sea, prompting Malaysian maritime authorities to launch a search on Thursday.


The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said a commercial vessel had reportedly spotted the missing ship about 23 nautical miles west of Miri yesterday evening and had notified the owners of the vessel MV Sah Lian.

"The ship was reported to have a damaged gearbox and propeller crankshaft," MMEA officials said.

"This morning the owner informed us and we quickly deployed our vessel," they said.

The owners of the Malaysian-registered vessel lost contact with it on September 3 while it travelled along the Malaysian state of Sarawak with a crew of 14, including Indians.

"We believe this ship has been hijacked and taken out of Malaysian waters. We believe it could be in Indonesian waters near the Natuna islands," said First Admiral Ismaili Bujang Pit, the state's coast guard chief.

The MV Sah Lian was said to be carrying a mixed cargo including iron products, piping and food from Kuching to the town of Limbang.

Southeast Asian waters are the world's most piracy-prone, according to London-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

In June, a Malaysian tanker was hijacked in the South China Sea. A week after the hijacking, eight suspected Indonesian pirates were arrested on a Vietnamese island after apparently fleeing the tanker in a lifeboat.

PTI

 

[Dr. Sen]

What? Hijacked in SCS? Sure they arent Somalians, must be locals. Did not know that there was piracy there.

 

[Hindustani78]

What? Hijacked in SCS? Sure they arent Somalians, must be locals. Did not know that there was piracy there.

In June, a Malaysian tanker was hijacked in the South China Sea. A week after the hijacking, eight suspected Indonesian pirates were arrested on a Vietnamese island after apparently fleeing the tanker in a lifeboat.

 

[Dr. Sen]

In June, a Malaysian tanker was hijacked in the South China Sea. A week after the hijacking, eight suspected Indonesian pirates were arrested on a Vietnamese island after apparently fleeing the tanker in a lifeboat.

It comes as a surprise to me.

 

[airuah]

we and all international forces should start to deploy their naval vessels for anti-piracy operations in the SCS from now on as a rotational and regular basis.

 

[Hindustani78]

Missing Malaysian ship with Indian crew found: report

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 11, 2015, PTI:

A Malaysian-registered cargo ship, missing for a week with 14 crew members including four Indians and feared hijacked in the piracy-prone South China Sea, has been found, according to maritime officials.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) commander for the state of Sarawak, Ismaili Bujang, said the 'MV Sah Lian' was found about 25 nautical miles away from Tanjong Baram near Miri yesterday evening.

"The agency's KM Mersuji vessel are closing in on the missing ship. We are waiting for another patrol boat to tow MV Sah Lian to bay," Ismaili said.

He did not elaborate on the condition of the crew members including the ship's captain as well as the 500 tonne cargo onboard the vessel. A source close to the agency, however, said all crew members and cargo "are safe", the New Straits Times reported.

The ship had departed from Kuching for the town of Limbang on September 2 and its owner lost contact with the vessel the next day, on September 3, while it travelled along Sarawak with the crew that included four Indians.

Ismaili earlier said authorities believed the ship was hijacked and taken out of Malaysian waters. He had also said it could be in Indonesian waters near the Natuna island, an Indonesian archipelago in the South China Sea between Borneo and mainland Malaysia.

Southeast Asian waters are the world's most piracy-prone, according to London-based International Maritime Bureau (IMB). MMEA officials had also said the ship was reported to have a damaged gearbox and propeller crankshaft.

However, some media reports quoted Ismaili as saying that the vessel had experienced engine trouble.