SAR OP INVOLVING TANKERS MT HAFNIA NILE, MT CERES 1 ENDS, ALL CREW SAFE 

KOTA TINGGI, July 22 (Bernama) -- The Search and Rescue (SAR) operation pertaining to tankers MT Hafnia Nile and MT Ceres 1, which were involved in a collision on Friday in Malaysian waters, was concluded at 1 pm today, with both tankers towed to a safe area 20 nautical miles east of Tanjung Sedili here.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Johor acting director Maritime Captain Kama Azri Kamil said the move was to allow further investigations, including determining the cause of the incident by the Southern Region Marine Department.

He added that monitoring by the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Johor Bahru revealed that the fires on both tankers had been controlled and fully extinguished, with all crew members safe.

"All 22 crew members of MT Hafnia Nile and 14 crew members of MT Ceres 1 are safe and are in Singapore.

"The remaining 26 crew members on MT Ceres 1 are also confirmed safe based on the report from the ship's captain," he said in a statement today.

Meanwhile, he said that the management of the oil spill detected around the incident location would be coordinated by the Department of Environment.

Kama Azri also clarified that MRSC Johor Bahru is responsible for coordinating the SAR operation in the eastern waters of Johor, covering an area of 10,445 square kilometres with a coastline of 254 kilometres.

In connection with this, he said that MRSC Johor Bahru expressed gratitude to all parties and agencies involved in the operation in the country's waters.

MT Hafnia Nile, registered in Singapore, and MT Ceres 1, registered in the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, were involved in a collision 25 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Balau here at 6.55 am on Friday.

However, MT Ceres 1 could not be detected the following day after leaving the scene and turning off the Automatic Identification System (AIS) before being found by an MMEA offshore patrol vessel 28 nautical miles northeast of Tioman Island while being towed by two tugboats believed to be from Singapore around 1.20 am on Sunday.

-- BERNAMA