SINGAPORE: A tugboat and barge that went missing while in Kuantan waters on Monday was found early Thursday morning.
Their owner, Pan United, said the crew of nine on the tugboat is safe and now back in Singapore waters.
Jane Ng, the company's executive director, said the crew members are all Indonesians.
"The tugboat and barge were on their voyage from Indonesia to Thailand, carrying a load of coal. Our crew, we have not yet have access to them. They took back control of the vessel at some point in time and they sailed it back to Singapore. They have been reported lost. So, the Singapore Navy intercepted the vessel and escorted it back to Singapore waters."
Ms Ng said the crew members were not harmed and the authorities are now interviewing them to find out more information about the case.
However, she believed that the vessels were targeted by pirates.
Ms Ng added that they cut off the towing line connecting the tugboat to the barge.
The pirates then left the barge drifting in Kuantan waters.
Said Ms Ng: "But we do not know who they are, their nationality. We believe the crew was kept on board. Which means the pirates overpowered them. Presumably, they could be tied down.
"We do not know exactly what happened, but we believe that the pirates left the ship and the crew then managed to take control of the tugboat. We believe the pirates abandoned their attempt to get away with the tugboat."
Pan United has since deployed another tugboat the retrieve the barge.
Both vessels are now on their way to Thailand to deliver the cargo.
The company expressed its gratitude to the authorities who acted swiftly to recover of the vessels and crew.
The tugboat sounded an alert at about 11.30pm on Monday while it was northeast of Kuantan.
Suspecting that the boat had been hijacked, the owner reported the incident to the Singapore Port Operation and Control Centre.
This is the second reported case of a tugboat being hijacked this year.
- CNA/jy
How? Mouth stuck Cock or not? (Chui Tak Lan)