Ship Hijacking in Malacca Strait

Reported here

A joint search operation between the marine police and Indonesian navy is under way for a Sibu-registered ship believed to have been hijacked by Indonesian pirates on Tuesday.
Zara 3 was transporting oil platform spare parts from Pasir Gudang to Miri when it was believed to have been attacked in Indonesian waters about 2.30am.

The incident was only known the next day when the sole Malaysian crewman of the ship was found adrift on a lifeboat and taken to an Indonesian navy base in Tanjung Pinang.

The crewman, identified as John Balang from Limbang, Sarawak, was rescued by a fishing boat.

Southern region marine police chief Assistant Commissioner Abdul Aziz Yusof said Zara 3 was believed to be in Indonesian waters.

"We have sent word to ships sailing in the Straits of Malacca to be on the lookout for the vessel and to inform us if they see it," he said.

Sources said the ship’s owner in Sibu has yet to receive any ransom demand.

Zara 3 had a nine-man crew, including the captain. Other than Balang, the rest of the crew are Indonesians.