Vessel Spotted Near Oil Platform
An unmanned vessel, later referred to as a “ghost ship,” was sighted drifting near the Semangkok A oil platform in Terengganu, a state located on Malaysia’s east coast, on Tuesday, August 12.
According to The Star, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) received a report about the ship at 4.45 pm from the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Johor Bahru.
The vessel, weighing close to 293 tonnes, was located roughly four nautical miles to the east of the platform. Authorities said it posed a potential danger to surrounding oil rigs before being secured.
Believed to Be Linked to Tanker Fire
MMEA Pahang director First Admiral (Maritime) Mazlan Mat Rejab said the vessel may be connected to the oil tanker fire that broke out near Tanjung Sedili, Johor, on August 6.
The tragic incident left one Indonesian crew member dead and four others injured.
Over the course of two days, the vessel was towed for about 140 nautical miles before arriving safely at the Kemaman Supply Base (KSB) in Terengganu on Thursday morning, August 14, for further inspection.
Inspection Reveals No Victims On Board
Once at KSB, a detailed inspection was carried out on August 16.
According to Commander Abdul Halim Hamzah, who heads the Kemaman Maritime Zone, the inspection team included 17 members from the Fire and Rescue Department’s Hazardous Materials (Hazmat) Special Team, along with three Marine Department officers.
“During the initial inspection, the team detected an odour which was later confirmed to be from spoiled raw material in a refrigerator,” he explained, as reported by NST.
The three-deck vessel was thoroughly checked for about an hour with advanced gas detection equipment.
No victims or hazardous chemicals were found.
Next Steps for the ‘ghost ship’
The ‘ghost ship,’ measuring 53.7 metres in length and 10 metres in width, will be handed over to the Marine Department for further action.
Authorities also assured that steps would be taken to prevent trespassing on the ship.
The MMEA confirmed it will continue monitoring until the vessel is fully secured under the Malaysia Marine Department’s care.
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