Dominica-flagged vessel sinks in Singapore’s waters near Pedra Branca

A supply vessel was travelling along the Singapore Strait when it capsized at around 7.15am on Feb 14, 2019, about 3 nautical miles from Pedra Branca.
TODAY Online 14 Feb 19;

SINGAPORE — A Dominica-flagged supply vessel sank in Singapore’s waters early on Thursday (Feb 14), making it the second maritime incident in a week.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said in a press release that the vessel, Ocean Cooper 2, was travelling along the Singapore Strait when it capsized at around 7.15am, about 3 nautical miles from Pedra Branca.


Map showing the location where Ocean Cooper 2 capsized. Photo: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore

The strait is one of the busiest in the world.

An accompanying supply vessel called Jolly Rachel rescued all three Indonesian crew members.

The MPA said that there was no oil pollution or injuries reported, and it is investigating the cause of the incident.

The authority has also issued navigational broadcasts asking ships to navigate with caution in the vicinity of the incident.

It said: “MPA has deployed a craft to conduct a hydrographic survey of the wreck. Traffic in the Singapore Strait remains unaffected.”

Thursday’s incident occurred less than a week after a Malaysian government vessel, Polaris, and a Greek ship collided in Singapore’s territorial waters off Tuas.

The MPA said that collision happened on Feb 9 at around 2.30pm.

The Greek vessel, the Pireas, was on its way from Singapore to its next port of call at Tanjung Pelepas in Johor, Malaysia when the collision took place.

The MPA said there were no reports of oil leaks in that incident.


Supply vessel sinks in Singapore waters near Pedra Branca
Vanessa Liu Straits Times 14 Feb 19;

SINGAPORE - A supply vessel was reported to have capsized and sunk in Singapore territorial waters on Thursday morning (Feb 14), the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said.

The Dominica-flagged supply vessel, Ocean Cooper 2, was in the westbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme - an international maritime route system to manage ship traffic in busy waters - when it sank about three nautical miles from Pedra Branca, a small island 40km east of Singapore.

The incident happened in the Singapore Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping zones.

MPA received news of the sinking at about 7.15am.

All three Indonesian crew members were rescued unhurt by a nearby accompanying supply vessel, Jolly Rachel, belonging to the same company as the vessel which sank. No oil pollution was reported.

MPA issued navigational broadcasts asking ships to navigate with caution in the vicinity after the incident.

MPA, which is investigating the incident, also deployed a craft to survey the wreck.

Traffic in the Singapore Strait remains unaffected.

In January, an undersea cable and pipe-laying ship, the Vanuatu-flagged MV Star Centurion, capsized in Indonesian waters of the Singapore Strait after colliding with a tanker. No deaths were reported in the incident.