Tanker explodes in Batam, oil theft suspected

"After an investigation by the Riau Islands Regional Police, the ship was found to have another name, MT Fajar. The tanker was used to steal oil in Karimun," said Riau Islands Regional Police Chief Brigadier General Sam Budigusdian in Batam on Monday.

The tanker was ordered by O, an employee of a hotel in Batam, at the behest of the hotel owner who was also the ship owner, to sail to Karimun on October 28. After several hours of sailing, it arrived in the area behind the Karimun Customs Office at approximately 11:00 p.m. WIB.

Next, the ship took on oil from MT Tobanganen, which was evidence in a smuggling case still pending in court until it was completed on October 29 at approximately 4:30 a.m. WIB.

"Next, the tanker sailed to OPL on the instructions of the suspect O and was sold. Next, the ship sailed to Batam," he said.

The Riau Islands Regional Police, he said, will also summon the KPLP and the Prosecutor's Office for questioning in the case.

"Eight suspects have been named in this case from the ship's crew, including O who gave the orders," said Sam.

After the ship was in Batam and undergoing repairs, it exploded, killing one person and seriously injuring three others.

"This was due to negligence because the ship was not completely clear of oil and yet repairs had begun, which ultimately led to the explosion," he said.

Previously, the Karimun Police in the Riau Islands Province stated that the seals on the storage tanks for the MT Tabonganen 19 GT 757's crude oil or CPO, the cargo of which is suspected to have been stolen, were broken.

Karimun Police Chief AKBP Armaini in Tanjung Balai Karimun said that several investigators had boarded the Indonesian-flagged tanker as a follow-up to the report filed by the Tanjung Balai Karimun District Prosecutor's Office on Monday (14/11) regarding the disappearance of evidence in the form of thousands of barrels of the ship's CPO cargo.

He said that the volume of crude oil in the ship's hull would be remeasured as part of the investigation process in the case.

Editor: Tasrief Tarmizi

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