On Friday, two large oil tankers caught fire after colliding near Singapore, the world’s largest refueling port. The incident prompted the rescue of crew members, with two being airlifted to the hospital and others saved from life rafts, according to authorities and one of the tanker owners.
The collision involved the Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile and the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres I, occurring approximately 55 km (34 miles) northeast of Pedra Branca, on the eastern approach to the Singapore Straits. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reported that all crew members were accounted for, with 22 on the Hafnia Nile and 40 on the Ceres I.
The MPA was alerted to the fire at 6:15 a.m. (2215 GMT). The owner of Hafnia Nile confirmed its involvement in the collision with the Chinese-owned Ceres I. Images released by the Singapore Navy depicted thick black smoke rising from one of the tankers, along with crew members being rescued and transported to hospitals.
In response to the incident, environmental authorities in neighboring Malaysia have been advised to prepare for potential oil spills resulting from the collision.