Malaysia reclaimed the hijacked MT Orkim Harmony on June 19 with all crew members unharmed after the pirates fled.
Malaysian Navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar said all eight hijackers fledthe oil tanker in rescue boats at around 8:30 pm on June 18, but thecaptain of the hijacked tanker did not inform authorities until fivehours later as the pirates had threatened him not to reveal their escapeplan.
All 22 crew members, including 16 Malaysians,five Indonesians and one Myanmar national, were released atapproximately 2:30 am on June 19, with only one having sustainedinjuries during the ordeal.
Earlier on in theincident, the pirates had requested a Malaysian Navy ship that wasfollowing the hijacked tanker to keep a distance of five nautical miles,threatening to harm the crew if the ship got too close. The piratessaid they were heading towards Natuna Island in Indonesia.
The Orkim Harmony, escorted by the Malaysian Navy's KD Handalan, isnow heading to Kuantan Port in Malaysia, expecting to arrive at 2 am onJune 20.
Abdul Aziz Jaafar added that Malaysia is pursuing thepirates, with support from the Australian surveillance plane P-3C Orion.Malaysia has also requested assistance from Vietnam, Thailand andIndonesia.
The MT Orkim Harmony, carrying 6,000metric tonnes of petrol worth some 21 million RM (5.6 million USD), wentmissing off the East coast of Malaysia's Southern Johor State on June11. It was en route to Kuantan Port in Pahang State from the port ofMalacca on the West coast of Malaysia.
The vessel was detected in Cambodian waters on June 18.-VNA
Malaysian Navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar said all eight hijackers fledthe oil tanker in rescue boats at around 8:30 pm on June 18, but thecaptain of the hijacked tanker did not inform authorities until fivehours later as the pirates had threatened him not to reveal their escapeplan.
All 22 crew members, including 16 Malaysians,five Indonesians and one Myanmar national, were released atapproximately 2:30 am on June 19, with only one having sustainedinjuries during the ordeal.
Earlier on in theincident, the pirates had requested a Malaysian Navy ship that wasfollowing the hijacked tanker to keep a distance of five nautical miles,threatening to harm the crew if the ship got too close. The piratessaid they were heading towards Natuna Island in Indonesia.
The Orkim Harmony, escorted by the Malaysian Navy's KD Handalan, isnow heading to Kuantan Port in Malaysia, expecting to arrive at 2 am onJune 20.
Abdul Aziz Jaafar added that Malaysia is pursuing thepirates, with support from the Australian surveillance plane P-3C Orion.Malaysia has also requested assistance from Vietnam, Thailand andIndonesia.
The MT Orkim Harmony, carrying 6,000metric tonnes of petrol worth some 21 million RM (5.6 million USD), wentmissing off the East coast of Malaysia's Southern Johor State on June11. It was en route to Kuantan Port in Pahang State from the port ofMalacca on the West coast of Malaysia.
The vessel was detected in Cambodian waters on June 18.-VNA
