Oil tanker missing, feared to have exploded: MMEA

PUTRJAYA: An oil tanker was missing and feared to have exploded off the coast of Johor, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said.
In a statement, MMEA said that it received notification from the Singapore Police Coast Guard today at 5am that MT Putri Sea could not be reached and was feared to have exploded and sunk 4.6 nautical miles southwest of Tanjung Pengelih, Johor.
"There are signs of oil spill around the location and the search and rescue (SAR) operation was activated 12.30pm which involved Penggalang 15 boat from DM7 Tanjung Sedili, Al-Nilam ship from Marine Department as well as 2 boats from Johor Port. The six victims are still not found and the SAR is still in progress," Rear Admiral Maritime Datuk Mohd Taha Ibrahim said in a statement issued today.
"We received the report of the incident and a boat Penggalang 15 from Maritime 7 Tanjung Sedili was sent to the location and had arrived there 6.15am and found no signs of the ship," he said.
MT Putri Sea was carrying raw oil and is registered at Malabo Port, Equatorial Guinea. The 46.3m ship had 6 crew members all Indonesians between the age of 28 to 39 years old.