KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s coast guard said on July 21 that it had located and intercepted a large oil tanker that was involved in a fiery collision with another vessel on July 19, about 55km north-east of the Singapore island of Pedra Branca.
The coast guard said earlier on July 20 that the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged Ceres I, a very large crude carrier supertanker, had left the location of the collision that caused a fire and injured at least two crew members.
The ship was also believed to have turned off the tracking system, it added.
The Ceres I was found in Malaysian waters with two tugboats towing it, the coast guard said on July 21.
The oil tanker and the two tugboats have been detained by the coast guard for further investigation, it added.
Meanwhile, aerial surveys conducted by the coast guard found minor traces of an oil spill at the location of the collision between the Ceres I and the Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile, the coast guard said on July 21.
“The environment department has been informed and will conduct further monitoring,” it added.