One crew member dead, four injured in tanker fire off Johor’s East Coast

A CREW member has died and four others sustained injuries following a fire aboard a tanker vessel off the east coast of Johor, near Tanjung Sedili.

Acting Director of Johor Maritime, Captain Kama Azri Kamil, confirmed that the deceased, a 42-year-old Indonesian national, succumbed to burn injuries. The incident was reported to the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Johor Bahru at approximately 9.30pm last night.

The fire was first spotted around 6pm by a group of anglers who witnessed the tanker, identified by the marking MT 108, engulfed in flames roughly 36 nautical miles off Tanjung Sedili Kechil.

“Upon receiving the report, a Search and Rescue Operation (Op CARILAMAT) was activated, and KM SATRIA was deployed to the scene. We were also supported by the Perkasa 30 vessel from the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone and Penggalang 43 from the Mersing Maritime Zone,” Kama said in a media statement today.

The deceased was transported to Kota Tinggi Hospital (HKT) for post-mortem examination, while the injured — comprising one Malaysian and three Indonesians aged between 31 and 49 — were taken to Sultan Ismail Hospital (HSI) in Johor Bahru for further treatment.

According to initial investigations and information shared by the police, the five crew members were assisted by nearby vessels and brought to shore before being handed over to authorities.

Kama added that the total number of crew on board at the time of the incident is still under investigation. The search and rescue operation remains ongoing, covering an area of 8.0 square nautical miles, and involves one patrol vessel and two Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) boats. - August 7, 2025