Oil Tanker Silver Sincere Sinks Near Pedra Branca

The Malaysian-registered oil products tanker Silver Sincere sank in Singaporean waters near Pedra Branca on January 12. All eight crew members were successfully rescued following a search and rescue operation led by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

The MPA received a distress alert from the Silver Sincere at around 3:40 PM (SGT), reporting that the vessel was taking on water. The agency swiftly launched a rescue operation, deploying its own vessels along with support from the Singapore Navy and the Singapore Police Coast Guard.

A nearby cargo vessel, Intan Daya 368, was directed by the MPA to assist in the rescue. The good Samaritan vessel successfully retrieved all eight crew members from liferafts. The rescued individuals were safely brought ashore at Batu Ampar, Indonesia, and were reported to be in good health.

After the successful rescue, the MPA deployed tugs and oil spill response teams to manage the sunken vessel and address potential environmental hazards. Navigational advisories have been issued, warning vessels to avoid the area around the incident site.