Off the wire
• Chinese state firms report slower profit drops in Jan.-May  • China's Huawei becomes ICT advisor to Tanzanian gov't  • 2nd LD Writethru-China Focus: Chinese shares in biggest weekly drop since 2008  • France's GDP growth to expand by 1.2 pct in 2015: Insee  • Major news items in leading German newspapers  • Kenya's trade deficit worsens as imports rise to 21 bln USD  • Xinhua Asia-Pacific News Summary at 1000GMT, June 19  • Roundup: Indonesian president evaluates working performance of ministers, may lead to cabinet reshuffle  • Roundup: Philippine bourse closes lower as foreign market performances bring impacts  • HK Chief Executive proposes 11 initiatives to improve livelihood, propel economic growth  
You are here: 　 Home

8 suspected pirates nabbed after Malaysia recaptures hijacked tanker

Xinhua, June 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

Eight suspected pirates have been arrested in Vietnamese waters after trying to flee after Malaysia recaptured a hijacked oil tanker and all crew onboard were safe, officials said Friday.

All eight hijackers fled in rescue boats Thursday evening, but the captain of the hijacked tanker only informed the authorities after mid-night, some five hours later as he was threatened by the pirates not to reveal their escape plan, according to Malaysian Navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar.

Earlier, the pirates requested a following Malaysian Navy ship to keep a five nautical miles distance, threatening that the crew would be hurt if the ship gets close. Pirates said they were heading toward Natuna Islands of Indonesia.

Malaysian maritime officials later said eight Indonesians who believed to be the hijackers were arrested by Vietnamese border guards near Tho Chu Island.

"The pirates that fled the ship was arrested by Vietnamese authorities when trying to escape from our control," said Ahmad Puzi bin Ab Kahar, Deputy chief of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

"They have been questioned by this time," he said.

Malaysia's Star newspaper described the hijackers as "part-time pirates" as they attempted to disguise the tanker with paint, changing its name from the original "Orkim Harmony" to "Kim Harmon. "

Meanwhile, All 22 crew members, including 16 Malaysians, five Indonesians and a Myanmar citizen were all safe, Abdul Aziz said. One crew member was shot in the thigh when the pirates hijacked ship. He had been airlifted to hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.

The Orkim Harmony went missing off the east coast of Malaysia's southern Johor state since June 11. It was carrying 6,000 metric tons of petrol worth some 21 million ringgit (5.6 million U.S. dollars).

Abdul Aziz said the petrol remained on the ship.

The tanker was on its way from Malacca to the port city of Kuantan when hijacked. It was spotted on Thursday off Cambodian waters.

The tanker was traveling along the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest waterways in the world. Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia have joint effort in fighting piracy in the Malacca Strait. Malaysia maritime officials said this was the fifth hijacking case this year in the southern part of the strait along the Malaysian coast. Endi