Orkim Harmony Still Missing, Search Underway

zoom The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Indonesian Navy have deployed patrol boats to search for Orkim Harmony, a Malaysia-flagged product tanker that went missing on June 11. Orkim Harmony is carrying 6,000 metric tonnes of ULG 95 (petrol) and has crew comprising Indonesians, Malaysians and Myanmar nationals on board. Piracy watchdog ReCAAP ISC received information that the tankers owner, Malaysian firm Magna Meridian, lost communication with the vessel after the LPG tanker issued a distress signal some 200 miles off Vietnam on June 10. The company had been receiving the vessel’s hourly position update until 11 Jun 15 at about 2054 hrs. Subsequently, attempts to contact the vessel on all available communications were not successful, said ReCAAP ISC. The ships last known position was 17 nm southwest of Pulau Aur, Malaysia. This is the second pirate attack targeting Orkim vessels.
Orkim Victory On June 4th, a group of eight perpetrators boarded the Malaysia-registered oil product tanker, Orkim Victory from a speed boat while the vessel was en route to Kuantan port, Malaysia. The pirates were armed with hand guns and threatened the crew, comprising eight Malaysians, seven Indonesians and three Myanmar nationals, though no injuries were reported. The perpetrators subsequently brought Orkim Victory to another location, where a motor tanker came alongside and siphoned off 770 metric tones of Automotive Diesel Oil (ADO). The perpetrators left Orkim Victory after damaging all communication equipment, and robbing the crew’s personal belongings.