Eight suspects held after pirates flee hijacked Malaysian tanker

Eight suspected Indonesians pirates believed to have hijacked a Malaysian oil tanker with 22 crew members last week in the South China Sea were on Friday detained in waters near the Tho Chu Island in Vietnam.

“They were found near Tho Chu Island at about 6.30am. They were on a life raft and claimed they were from a fishing boat that sank,” Royal Navy Malaysian chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar said. Aziz said his men were confirming if those arrested were the hijackers of MT <g data-gr-id="17">Orkim</g> Harmony oil tanker.

“We are checking their story and investigation is still going on,” he was quoted as saying by The Star online. The pirates, who had hijacked the oil tanker, fled the ship in a lifeboat yesterday after being pursued by Malaysian navy warships, leaving behind 22 crew members.

Aziz said the crew members are safe except for an Indonesian seamen who <g data-gr-id="18">was</g> shot in the thigh; he was being treated.The Navy chief said the oil tanker is sailing back to the northern Kuantan port, escorted by a navy ship and is expected to arrive at the port on Saturday.