THE Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) on Friday (Jul 19) said a rescue-and-search mission is in progress near the coast of Singapore after two shipping vessels caught fire in the morning.
MPA has requested passing vessels to assist in the search and rescue of the crew.
The authority noted that at about 6.15 am, it was alerted to fires on board Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile, and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres I. The vessels were about 55 km north-east of Pedra Branca, which falls within Singapore’s Maritime Search and Rescue Region.
A Republic of Singapore Navy ship, RSS Supreme, was in the area during the incident and is providing help, said MPA. A Republic of Singapore Air Force helicopter has also been dispatched and is assisting with evacuating the crew, it added.
