KOTA TINGGI: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) confirmed that the collision between two ships, MT Hafnia Nile and MT Ceres 1, yesterday occurred in Malaysian waters.
MMEA search and rescue operations and maritime disaster assistance director, First Admiral Zin Azman Mad Yunus, refuted claims by the Singaporean media that the collision occurred within Singapore's maritime search and rescue region.
He said the collision between the two ships happened 25 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Balau at 6.55am yesterday.
"According to our map, it is clear that the location is within Malaysian waters. Very clear. Batu Putih (Pedra Branca) is located 55 nautical miles from the incident site.
"Claims by the Singaporean media that the collision occurred within Singapore's maritime search and rescue region are false," he said at a press conference at the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone here today.
Also present were Kota Tinggi district police chief Superintendent Hussin Zamora and, Johor Fire and Rescue Department fire and rescue operations assistant director Azmi Ab Rahim.
Yesterday, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore issued a statement reporting that search and rescue operations were underway to locate the crew of the two oil tankers after both ships caught fire in Singapore waters, which was then widely reported by the republic's media.
The MPA claimed that both tankers were within Singapore's maritime search and rescue region, approximately 55 kilometres northeast of Batu Putih, which they referred to as Pedra Branca.
"An RSN (Republic of Singapore Navy) vessel, RSS Supreme, which was in the vicinity, assisted.
"An RSAF (Republic of Singapore Air Force) helicopter was also deployed and is assisting with the evacuation of crew members," the MPA statement read.
Yesterday, MMEA initiated a search and rescue operation following the collision between MT Hafnia Nile and MT Ceres 1 early in the morning.
MMEA acting director-general Vice Admiral Datuk Saiful Lizan Ibrahim, was reported as saying that a search and rescue forward base had been established at the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone jetty to coordinate the search efforts.