Reward for news of 'Suci'

Reward for news of 'Suci'

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) yesterday announced an offer of US$100,000 for news on a Malaysian tanker, Suci, renamed Glory II after a hijack 11 days ago by six pirates.

"The reward has been offered by the hull underwriters for information leading to the recovery of the vessel," IMB's Kuala Lumpur-based regional manager, John Martin, told AFP.

Martin appealed to all port and shipping authorities and operators in the region who had information on the 17-year old Suci to contact the IMB.

He also issued information on the reward to all port and shipping authorities in the region via satellite broadcast.

The Malaysian-flagged Suci, built in 1979 by Kurushima Dockyard Co. Ltd. in Japan, was carrying about 3,000 metric tons of gas oil worth $600,000 , when it was hijacked off the Horsburgh Lighthouse, east of Singapore, by six armed pirates.

The vessel was believed to be heading for ports in Thailand, Indonesia and southern China when the bandits attacked shortly before midnight on Nov. 19, IMB said.

The pirates set 15 of the 17 crew members adrift a day after taking over the vessel, but kept two Indonesian engineers on board -- second engineer Tajuddin and fourth engineer Kadarismanto Dwijo Siswoyo.

The other 15 crew members, including two South Koreans and two Burmese, were rescued by a fishing vessel and taken to Indonesia's Batam island last Friday.

The Indonesian navy has assigned two Nomad-22 aircraft and a warship from the marine task force to aid the Singaporean and Malaysian navies in the search.