10th tanker hijacked in SE Asia

Vessel not named in initial reports.

10th tanker hijacked in SE Asia

The IMB reports that another tanker has been hijacked in Southeast Asia, taking the total for the year so far to 10 vessels hijacked in 2015 in the region. 

According to the report, a product tanker (not named so far) was around 8nm South West of Pu Aur, Malaysia on June 4th when it was boarded by pirates shortly after midnight local time. The armed men took the crew hostage and then sailed the ship to rendezvous it with another tanker. Part of the cargo was then siphoned off into the other vessel.

Before the pirates fled, they stole crew and ship property and damaged all comms equipment. The ship was able to sail to a safe port.

Hijackings in Southeast Asia are currently occurring approximately twice a month and the pirates seem completely unfazed by regional attempts to stop them so far. Ironically, last week the Indonesian Navy arrested a film crew who were trying to recreate a pirate attack in its waters.