Supertanker Rams Ship In Hazy Strait It’s Unclear If Forest Fires Had Role; 29 Missing

Survivors of a ship collision in haze-cloaked waters off Malaysia said Saturday they listened helplessly as trapped shipmates slid beneath the seas with their crippled freighter.

“I saw the ship going down after splitting into two as a result of the impact,” said Cartik Venghatraman.

A supertanker rammed into the Indian-registered cargo ship late Friday night in the Strait of Malacca, where thick smoke from forest fires obscured visibility.

Officials said 29 crew members of the Vikraman were missing and feared dead after the vessel sank south of Port Dickson, about 70 miles southwest of Kuala Lumpur, the capital.

There were no casualties reported on the St. Vincent-registered supertanker, and the Marine Department said there were no oil spills.

The collision happened hours after an Indonesian jetliner crashed 255 miles away while descending through the thick haze that has choked much of Southeast Asia, killing all 234 aboard.

It was unclear whether the smoke played a role in either crash. Visibility was about one mile where the ship collision happened.

The freighter’s five survivors said the impact threw them into the sea, where they were rescued hours later by a Thai cargo vessel.

Venghatraman, 21, who survived by clinging to floating wreckage, said he heard the pleas of his trapped shipmates as the boat sank in less than a minute. “By the grace of God I am still alive.”

Dozens of rescue ships and more than 100 navy personnel scoured the area but found no other survivors.

Malaysian Deputy Transport Minister Ali Rustam said investigators were trying to determine if the haze was a factor.

“In view of the haze situation, all vessels plying the Strait of Malacca should be more cautious,” he said.

It was the second collision in the Strait of Malacca since the haze, caused by forest fires set to clear land, began blanketing Malaysia and other Southeast Asian nations two months ago.

On Sept. 20, two cargo vessels collided in the strait, though no casualties or major damage were reported.