Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has launched a search for a crude palm oil tanker which has reportedly disappeared in Indonesian waters. A total of 12 crew are onboard.
The ‘Namse Bangdzod’ departed from Sampit, Central Kalimantan, heading to Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, on 27 December, but it lost contact with the Sampit Port Authority Office (KSOP) one day later, somewhere around Karawang, according to The Jakarta Post. Even worse, the ship never arrived in Tanjung Priok, where she was expected to dock on 3 January.
Sampit KSOP’s head of sailing patrol and security, Baslan Damang, said to Jakarta Post that he had broadcasted the tanker’s manifest via marine radio and hoped that other sailors or fishermen would report back.
As he explained, the port authority office is cooperating with Basarnas to find the tanker, with a research launched between Muara Angke and Tanjung Priok.
Basarnas believes the ship has been hijacked, although Mr. Damang stressed that there have been no indications on this so far.
Last data imput from MarineTraffic show the tanker was in Ujung Karawang waters until 3 January at 9:42 a.m.
