The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has confirmed that missing oil products tanker MT Pratama 128 had been found off the coast of Pulau Rupat, Indonesia, 120nm from where it went missing after being detained by Malaysian authorities.
MMEA director-general Admiral (Maritime) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Abu Bakar said the agency was informed that the tanker, reportedly missing since Saturday February 24th, had been found by the Indonesian authorities on the afternoon of February 27th. He told news agency Bernama that “the MMEA has yet to ascertain what had happened. At the moment, we are negotiating to allow the vessel to be handed over to the agency”. Zulkifli said that the vessel, which was carrying eight Indonesian crew, had been detained by the MMEA last Friday in Tanjung Piai, Johor after the crew allegedly failed to submit an insurance document and to report the vessel’s arrival in the country.
At this point things become unclear, but the vessel appears to have gone missing after anchoring in the waters off Tanjung Piai at midnight February 24th, only to turn up three days later about 120nm from the location where it was detained, he said, adding that the MMEA and Indonesian authorities had been searching for the vessel since she went missing.
1977-built, Indonesia-flagged, 325 gt Pratama 128 is owned and managed by Niaga Pratama Putra of Jakarta, Indonesia.
https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/02/339655/missing-mt-pratama-128-tanker-found-rupat-island