Missing Malaysian tanker most likely hijacked: official

An official from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said here Monday that the Malaysian oil tanker Orkim Harmony having gone missing since June had most likely been hijacked by pirates.

MMEA Deputy Director-General Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar said in a press conference that the lack of signs of wreckage indicated that it did not sink, and its communications equipment and other tracking devices should have been deliberately switched off judging on the lack of distress calls.

"This is a confirmed case of piracy," he said, adding that their search now was focused in the South China Sea from Johor to Kelantan and they have also opened their borders in Sabah and Sarawak as well as the Strait of Malacca for the neighboring countries to help conduct the search.

They have contacted maritime authorities in all Southeast Asian countries for their help in searching for the missing tanker, he said.

The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has also widened their search area for the tanker, according to Bernama, Malaysia's state news agency.

Abdul Aziz Jaafar, chief of Malaysia navy, said that three vessels from the RMN had participated in the search operation, adding that search efforts were being actively carried out by maritime enforcement agencies of neighboring countries after being informed of the missing vessel.

A Malaysian oil tanker with 22 crewmen on board has gone missing off Malaysia's Johor waters on its way from Malacca to Kuantan since June 11. The tanker was carrying 6,000 metric tons of RON95 petrol when it lost contact around 8:50 p.m. at about 30 nautical miles of Tanjung Sedili east of Johor. Endi