A series of maritime incidents occurred over the second weekend of January near Malaysia and Singapore, with regional authorities coordinating swift Search and Rescue operations to ensure the safety of all crew members.
Tanker sinking near Abu Bakar Maritime Base (ABMB), Malaysia
On 12 January 2025, a Malaysian-flagged tanker sank approximately 2.1 nautical miles southwest of the Abu Bakar Maritime Base (ABMB), Malaysia, at around 6:00 PM. Earlier, at 4:40 PM, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritime Malaysia), stationed at ABMB, detected the tanker releasing emergency flares and requesting assistance via radio. In response, the incident was reported to the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Johor Bahru, and a Search and Rescue (SAR) operation was initiated at 5:00 PM. The Maritime Ship (KM) NIAH was deployed to the location.
By 5:45 PM, it was confirmed that the eight crew members, all Indonesian nationals, had abandoned the vessel and boarded an emergency raft. They were rescued by a nearby Indonesian-flagged vessel. The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Putrajaya, in collaboration with the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) of Indonesia, coordinated the transfer of the crew to the Indonesian vessel, which then transported them to Batu Ampar, Batam.
The Southern Region Marine Department issued a warning to nearby commercial vessels regarding the incident and advised caution for maritime navigation in the area. The CARILAMAT operation was concluded at 11:45 PM after all crew members were confirmed safe and transferred to the Indonesian Republic’s Coast Guard Base in Pulau Bintan.
Tanker fire near Tanjung Piai, Malaysia
On the same day, 12 January, another SAR operation was launched by MRSC Johor Bahru for a tanker fire located about four nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Piai, Malaysia. The fire was successfully contained with the assistance of five tugboats, and all 14 crew members aboard the tanker were rescued.
During the incident, one Indonesian crew member was swept into Singaporean waters. He was found unconscious and was immediately taken to the hospital for medical treatment. Authorities from both Malaysia and Singapore worked together to ensure a swift and effective response. Fortunately, no oil spill was detected in the area.
Vietnamese-registered freighter sinks
On 11 January 2025 at about 7:00 AM (Singapore Time), the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) operated by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was alerted by the Hong Kong-registered container vessel, Nicolai Maersk, that it had received a distress call from the Vietnamese-registered freighter, Dolphin 18.
The distressed vessel was reported to be about 274 nautical miles southwest of Vung Tau, Vietnam, within the Singapore Maritime Search and Rescue Region. The MRCC Singapore coordinated the search and rescue, issuing navigational broadcasts for vessels in the vicinity to keep a lookout and report sightings of the vessel in distress, while also alerting Vietnamese counterparts.
Nicolai Maersk arrived on the scene shortly after and successfully rescued all 18 Vietnamese crew members from lifeboats. All rescued crew were found to be in healthy condition.
Dolphin 18 was reported to have sunk, and MRCC is issuing navigational broadcasts for passing vessels to navigate with caution in the area. Nicolai Maersk will be disembarking the rescued crew at its next port in Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia.
