Crew Reviews, Ratings & Info for Gold-Star-15

A thorough investigation has officially confirmed that the tanker 'Sunrise 689' was hijacked, according to the ship’s crew. In light of the findings, authorities are now seeking assistance from Interpol to locate the pirates responsible for this aggressive maritime crime. Following an extensive examination of the vessel and detailed crew testimonies, officials determined that the piracy incident took place in international waters. The Investigation Police Agency under the Ministry of Public Security is set to conduct a formal investigation while collaborating with the Southeast Asia Anti-Piracy Center situated in Singapore to track down the assailants. Contrary to earlier reports, officials discovered that the vessel's black box had not been lost. It was located during an investigation that began after the case was turned over to the police by the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Border Guard on October 15. On October 11, when the 'Sunrise 689' was escorted back to the coastal city of Vung Tau by three Coast Guard vessels, the provincial border guard and the Vietnam Coast Guard were initially in charge of the situation. Now, the black box has been transported to the Vietnam Maritime Administration for analysis to extract critical data stored in the device. According to a statement from Captain Nguyen Quyet Thang, the hijacking incident occurred on October 2 while the ship was en route to Quang Tri's southern region, carrying 5,226 tons of oil from Singapore. Armed pirates, wielding guns and knives, took control of the crew and attempted to sabotage the communications system of the vessel. Sadly, several crew members were injured during the attack, including machinist Luong Dai Thanh, who reportedly suffered a broken toe and a severely injured kneecap, and crewman Tran Van Lich, who endured an ankle injury. After siphoning approximately 2,000 tons of oil, the assailants relinquished control of the ship around 2 AM on October 9, near Thai waters.

On the morning of October 11, the tanker 'Sunrise 689' was brought to the coast of Vung Tau, located in Vietnam's southern Ba Ria - Vung Tau province, for investigation. This incident occurred after nearly one-third of the oil cargo onboard was reported stolen, leading to injuries among two crew members. The Vietnam Maritime Police Zone 3, in coordination with the border guard, local police, and the People’s Procuracy of the province, is actively investigating the matter. Preliminary findings indicated that the marine equipment within the ship’s cabins sustained significant damage, with various furnishings scattered throughout. The crew members are being interviewed by the officials of the Vietnam Maritime Police Zone 3 High Command. Additionally, representatives from the Vietnam Maritime Administration and local authorities have visited the ship to assess the situation and provide support to the crew. Once the investigation concludes, the 'Sunrise 689' will be relocated to the Sao Mai-Ben Dinh area within Vung Tau's waters for necessary repairs before it continues its journey to Cua Viet Port in Quang Tri province.

The oil tanker 'Sunrise 689' has successfully resumed its journey toward Vung Tau after a dramatic rescue operation carried out by Vietnam's Coast Guard. The vessel, which was escorted by Coast Guard officials on October 9 at around 2 p.m., faced a harrowing ordeal after being hijacked by pirates on October 3. Captain Luong Dai Thanh and crew member Tran Van Lich were the only individuals injured during the incident. Captain Thanh sustained severe injuries to his toes and kneecap, while Lich sprained his ankle after a fall instigated by pirates who forcibly removed him from a ladder. Medical personnel were dispatched along with the Coast Guard escort to provide treatment for their injuries. Fortunately, the remaining 16 crew members emerged from the ordeal in good health. The 'Sunrise 689' set sail from Singapore on October 2 but mysteriously disappeared from radar early on October 3, at approximately 4:27 a.m., when it was located about 120 nautical miles northeast of Singapore and 360 nautical miles from Ca Mau, Vietnam. The tanker was transporting 5,200 tons of diesel that had been loaded at Horizon Port in Singapore and was destined for Vietnam. The pirates, numbering over ten and armed with guns and knives, quickly overtook the vessel using a speedboat and two small fishing boats. They aggressively boarded the tanker, ransacking cabins and navigational equipment while confiscating the crew's personal belongings, including phones, clothing, and jewelry. The pirates were masked, but their accents and behaviors led the crew to speculate they were from Indonesia. After commandeering the ship, the pirates confined the crew in a cramped area, permitting them to leave once a day for cooking and eating purposes. A particularly tense moment arose when the crew attempted to reclaim a cellphone during a mealtime when the pirates were less vigilant. Despite the phone having no signal, this act demonstrated the crew's resourcefulness. The pirates fled northeast towards Malaysian waters, eventually reaching Cambodia and then Vietnam. They attempted to transfer around 1,500 tons of diesel fuel from the 'Sunrise 689' to another tanker. However, the crew warned the assailants that maritime security forces were actively searching for them. By October 9, at approximately 1 a.m., the pirates abandoned ship, fleeing on a fishing vessel with false flags from Malaysia and Vietnam. With their navigational systems rendered inoperable, the tanker crew sailed until they regained a cell phone signal, allowing them to inform their families and contact their employer, the Hai Phong Sea Product and Shipbuilding Company. Following that, they redirected their course towards Vung Tau for necessary repairs. Dao Van Quang, director of the Hai Phong company, confirmed that inspectors from their Singaporean partner are heading to Vung Tau to assess the damage to the vessel. Meanwhile, Vietnam's Coast Guard continues to investigate the piracy incident, enlisting help from regional security forces to track down the culprits.