Malaysia searches for three missing sailors after tanker fire

Bangkok, May 2 (EFE).- Malaysian authorities were searching Tuesday for three sailors who disappeared after a fire sank a tanker, carrying 28 crew members, in the country’s southeastern waters.

Two boats close to the ship rescued 23 crew members who had jumped into the water alive after the incident, while two others were saved from the burning ship, the Malaysian Maritime Control Agency said in a Tuesday statement.

The Malaysian agency received an alert signal Monday afternoon from a Gabonese-flagged cargo ship, which left China bound for Singapore, and which was some 37 nautical miles from the coastal town of Tanjung Sedili.

After the rescue of 25 of the crew members, authorities carried out a search operation for the three missing sailors.

The agency also said it had opened an investigation to determine the causes of the sinking. EFE

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