World News
MPA Responds to Alpine Eternity Tanker Shooting Incident, says Singapore is "Deeply Concerned"
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) Monday said it was "deeply concerned" by the May 14, 2015 shooting incident involving Singapore owned and flagged oil products tanker Alpine Eternity.
As Ship & Bunker reported yesterday, the incident occurred in international waters off the Persian Gulf, and saw Alpine Eternity come under fire by five Iranian naval ships.
The MPA stated that "Singapore is deeply concerned with such actions" and has requested the Iranian maritime authorities to investigate the incident and prevent future recurrences.
The MPA went on to state that "The freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce are of critical importance to Singapore and other maritime and trading nations.
"Such interference with navigational rights is a serious violation of international law."
The ships were said to have initially fired warning shots toward the tanker, but then fired directly toward Alpine Eternity after it failed to stop.
The incident was said to have been triggered buy an earlier March 21 collision between the Alpine Eternity and an Iranian jacket platform in the Gulf, and authorities were said to be investigating the matter.
"As to the collision on 22 March 2015 (Singapore time) involving 'Alpine Eternity' and an oil platform located in the Persian Gulf, the ship manager, Transpetrol Ship Management Pte Ltd, had reported the incident to MPA on 23 March 2015," said MPA.
"As the Flag Administration of 'Alpine Eternity', MPA had immediately commenced a marine safety investigation into the incident in accordance with the International Maritime Organization's Casualty Investigation Code, and the investigation is still in progress."
The May 14 incident ended when Alpine Eternity sent a distress call to the United Arab Emirates Coast Guard (UAE Coast Guard) and fled to safety into United Arab Emirates (UAE) waters.
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