A cargo ship carrying 560 metric tonnes of bunker fuel sank in Indonesian waters after it collided with a chemical tanker on Wednesday night, leaving six crew members missing while six were rescued, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

The Cayman Islands-registered chemical tanker Stolt Commitment collided with cargo ship Thorco Cloud bearing the Antigua and Barbuda flag in the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) in the Singapore Strait in Indonesian waters six nautical miles northwest of Batam.

MPA said the 37,438 dwt chemical tanker sustained minor damage and is in stable condition, but the freighter sank.

“MPA deployed two patrol craft for search and rescue operations. Singapore’s Police Coast Guard (PCG) supported MPA by deploying five boats, and rescued five of the 12 freighter crew members. A sixth was rescued by the chemical tanker. Search and rescue operations for the remaining freighter crew members are on-going,” MPA stated.

The Indonesian authorities have also commenced search and rescue operations and MPA is assisting to survey and mark the sunken cargo ship to ensure navigational safety.

“There is no disruption to shipping traffic in the Singapore Strait. While there are currently no reports of any oil spill, MPA has also put on standby anti-pollution craft,” MPA said.