36 rescued after ship collision: 'A lot of uncertainty as tanker still moving, fire not under control'
A total of 36 seamen were rescued after two ships collided and one caught fire about 55km north-east of Pedra Branca in the early morning of July 19.
Pedra Branca is an island about 24 nautical miles east of Singapore.
Collision Two large oil tankers caught fire on Friday following a collision in waters near Singapore, a key global refueling hub. The incident led to the airlifting of two crew members to the hospital, while others were rescued from life rafts, according to authorities and one of the companies involved. The collision involved the Singapore-flagged tanker *Hafnia Nile* and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker *Ceres I*, situated approximately 55 km (34 miles) northeast of Pedra Branca, an island on the eastern approach to the Singapore Straits, as reported by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Hafnia Nile's owner confirmed the vessel's involvement in the collision with the *Ceres I*. All 22 crew members of the *Hafnia Nile* and 40 crew members of the *Ceres I* were accounted for, stated the MPA, which received notification of the fire at 6:15 a.m. (2215 GMT). #MARINOPH (c) Reuters Posted by Marino Ph on Friday 19 July 2024
The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) frigate, RSS Supreme, was in the vicinity, and responded to a distress call from the two merchant vessels, Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile, and a Sao Tome and Príncipe-flagged tanker Ceres 1.
Sao Tome and Príncipe is an island nation west of Central Africa.
A helicopter from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) was also dispatched to assist with crew evacuation.
A Singapore-flagged supply vessel, Dolphin 1, which was also in the vicinity, picked up 14 of the 40 crew members from Ceres I. Two were evacuated by the RSAF helicopter to Singapore General Hospital.
Earlier this morning, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore - MPA was alerted to fire onboard two tankers about... Posted by The Republic of Singapore Air Force on Thursday 18 July 2024
The remaining 26 crew members remained on board Ceres 1 to fight the fire.
RSS Supreme picked up 16 crew members from Hafnia Nile while another six crew members in a life raft were picked up by a Malaysian government vessel and transferred to RSS Supreme.
DEVELOPING: Earlier this morning, our Formidable-class frigate RSS Supreme responded to a distress call from two... Posted by Republic of Singapore Navy on Thursday 18 July 2024
The RSN ship returned to Changi Naval Base with the rescued crew members, who were transferred to Changi Naval Medical Centre and Changi General Hospital.
[UPDATE] The Republic of Singapore Navy and the Republic of Singapore Air Force responded to a distress call earlier. This is what happened. Story in the photos below Posted by Republic of Singapore Navy on Friday 19 July 2024
RSN Miltary Expert 3 Kartigaesan Chandran said: "There was a lot of uncertainty as the tanker was still moving and the fire was not under control.
"Our training kept us safe in the challenging conditions as we raced against time to rescue the crew."
All 22 crew members of Hafnia Nile and 40 crew members are Ceres I are accounted for, said the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
MPA was alerted this morning to a fire onboard both Singapore-flagged tanker and a São Tomé and... Posted by Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore - MPA on Friday 19 July 2024
There were no Singaporeans on board.
Memasuki hari kedua insiden pelanggaran kapal MT HAFNIA NILE dan MT CERES 1, Maritim Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) Johor Bahru, Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (Maritim Malaysia) telah menugaskan sebuah kapal peronda luar pesisir (OPV) KM PEKAN dan KM MULIA bagi menggantikan KM NIAH ke lokasi kejadian bagi melaksanakan operasi mencari dan menyelamat (CARILAMAT). Pengarah Bahagian CARILAMAT dan Bantuan Bencana Maritim, Maritim Malaysia, Laksamana Pertama Maritim Zin Azman bin Mad Yunus berkata, Kapal MT HAFNIA NILE berdaftar di Singapura telah dilaporkan berlanggar dengan MT CERES 1 berdaftar di Republik Demokratik São Tomé dan Príncipe serta turut mengakibatkan MT HAFNIA NILE terbakar di posisi 25 batu nautika Timur Laut Tanjung Balau dalam Perairan Wilayah Malaysia serta Wilayah Mencari Dan Menyelamat Malaysia (MSRR). Usaha CARILAMAT yang diaktifkan MRSC Johor Bahru pada 6:55 pagi semalam turut mendapat respon Singapura yang juga merupakan first responder di mana kapal Tentera Laut Singapura RSS Supreme telah menyelamatkan 22 orang kru MT HAFNIA NILE dan dibawa ke Singapura bagi mendapatkan rawatan lanjut. Operasi CARILAMAT hari kedua bagi tindakan menyelamat kru kapal MT CERES 1 hari ini diteruskan namun kapal berkenaan dikesan telah meninggalkan kawasan perlanggaran dengan menutup Sistem Pengenalan Automatik (AIS) namun dipercayai masih berada dalam Perairan Wilayah Malaysia. Maklumat dan semakan MRSC Johor Bahru bersama Jabatan Laut Malaysia turut mendapati no pendaftaran IMO kapal berkenaan meragukan dan tindakan kapal berkenaan meninggalkan kawasan insiden juga diragui. Maritim Malaysia kini dalam usaha menjejaki kapal berkenaan dengan mengaturgerak pesawat amfibia Bombardier CL 415 MP Maritim Malaysia pada jam 12 tengahari tadi bagi tujuan penyelamatan dan siasatan. Beliau turut berkata, selain menggerakkan aset ke sektor pencarian, Maritim Malaysia akan mengatur gerak Pasukan Tindakan Khas dan Penyelamat (STAR Team) bagi bersiap sedia untuk menyelamat mangsa yang dipercayai masih berada di atas MT CERES 1. “Setakat ini, Maritim Malaysia tidak dapat memastikan keadaan sebenar kapal beserta kru MT CERES 1 memandangkan ianya tidak dapat dihubungi.” Beliau berkata demikian dalam satu sidang media yang diadakan di Zon Maritim Tanjung Sedili hari ini. Turut hadir sama Timbalan Pengarah Operasi Maritim Negeri Johor, Kepten Kama Azri bin Kamil dan Pemangku Pengarah Zon Maritim Tanjung Sedili, Komander Maritim Mohd Najib bin Sam. Laksamana Pertama Maritim Zin Azman dalam pada itu turut memaklumkan Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) dan Jabatan Laut Malaysia (JLM) akan turut serta bagi melaksanakan pemantauan tumpahan minyak di lokasi insiden. Beliau turut memaklumkan Pasukan Khas Bahan Kimia Berbahaya (HAZMAT), Jabatan Bomba dan Penyelamat Malaysia (JBPM) turut bersiap sedia menyalurkan bantuan sekiranya keadaan memerlukan. Terdahulu, Maritim Negeri Johor menerusi MRSC Johor Bahru telah mengkoordinasikan CARILAMAT dengan penglibatan Kapal Maritim (KM) NIAH , Bot PERKASA 29 bot PETIR 12 dari Maritim Malaysia, KD GEMPITA dari Tentera Laut Diraja Malaysia (TLDM) dan bot ronda PA 9 dari Pasukan Polis Marin (PPM) Wilayah 2 dengan jumlah keseluruhan anggota terlibat melebihi 100 orang bagi melaksanakan CARILAMAT tersebut. . #MalaysiaCoastGuard #MaritimeNation #MaritimMalaysia #MMEA #APMM #MCG #CoastGuard Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) #MalaysiaMadani #KDN_TogetherWeAreOne #KeselamatanTanggungjawabBersama #MaritimPerkasaMelestarikanMadani Posted by Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia on Saturday 20 July 2024
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