Pirates Board Three Ships in Three Hours in Singapore Strait

Three industrial ships have been boarded by pirates inside simply three hours of one another in Straits of Malacca and Singapore (SOMS), the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre has reported.

The three vessels have been boarded in shut proximity of one another whereas underway Wednesday within the eastbound lane of the SOMS. ReCAAP says that the three incidents occurred inside about three hours and simply 4 to 10 nautical miles of one another, main authorities to consider that the perpetrators have been a part of the identical group.

In all three incidents, the perpetrators have been sighted within the engine room, a sign that the vessel’s engine spare gadgets have been focused, ReCAAP mentioned.

The vessels have been recognized because the Brazilian-flagged bulk provider MV Densa Shark, the Norwegian-flagged LNG tanker Clipper Posh and the Panama-flagged tanker Pro Triumph.

“Though these incidents were deemed as ‘petty theft’ in nature, it warrants ships to pay greater attention to shipboard security as access/authorized boarding has been breached,” ReCAAP mentioned in an announcement. “Notably, vessels were more vulnerable particularly those with low free board and navigating at slower speed when negotiating a turn in the area.”

The incidents come as a search is underway for a lacking Malaysian product tanker, MT Orkim Harmony, which misplaced communication with its homeowners on June 11 and is believed to have been focused by bunker pirates. The final identified place of the product tanker was roughly 17 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Aur, Malaysia.

Details of the three incidents supplied by ReCAAP are beneath:

At or about 0221 hrs, a Brazil-registered bulk provider, Densa Shark was underway at roughly 1.1 nm south-southwest of Pulau Takong Kecil when three perpetrators armed with knives have been sighted within the engine room. The crew instantly raised the alarm and carried out a search. No perpetrators have been discovered onboard and nothing was lacking.
Within two and a half hours later, at or about 0503 hrs, a Norway-registered LNG tanker, Clipper Posh whereas underway at roughly 3.9 nm northeast of Pulau Takong Kecil when 5 perpetrators have been sighted within the engine room. The alarm was raised instantly and the grasp carried out a seek for the perpetrators however none was discovered. Nothing was lacking.
Less than half an hour later, at or about 0525 hrs, a Panama-registered tanker, Pro Triumph whereas underway at roughly 6.9 nm southwest of Pulau Takong Kecil when 5 perpetrators have been sighted within the engine room. The Chief Engineer and 1st Engineer have been tied, and a few generator spares elements have been stolen. Thealarm was raised and the perpetrators fled.