Indian version: Indian MRCC Mumbai alerted Malaysian authorities after MRCC was notified about 3 Indian nationalities in distress, on board of tanker VORAS off Malaysian coast. Indian Coast Guard coordinated the transfer of tanker crew, 16 sailors including 3 Indians, from tanker to Malaysia. Indian CG, according to Indian media reports, collaborated with respective agencies in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, all 16 crew were taken off the ship and transferred ashore in Malaysia. The tanker they’ve been taken from is a VLCC tanker VORAS, she’s anchored at outer Singapore Strait Anchorage in South China sea, since middle of July. tanker, as the story goes, “ran out of fuel”. Indian media boast of CG “rescuing 16 crew”.
Malaysian version: Malaysian MMEA tells a different story (a true story, it seems), it was their agency which rescued 16 distressed sailors – and yes, their boat ran out of fuel, but not tanker. They left tanker (sign-off, most probably?) on board of passenger boat on Aug 24, to be taken to Batam, Batam island, Singapore Strait, but boat ran out of fuel and drifted for two days. MMEA spotted boat some 5 nm off Pemanggil island, and rescued people on board in the evening Aug 26. Among 16 rescued crew, consisting of seven Indonesians, six Sri Lankans and three Indians, was tanker’s Captain.
Prior to prolonged anchorage, VORAS was trading between Persian Gulf and Singapore.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.