The coast guard said yesterday the Sao Tome and Principe-flagged tanker Ceres 1 had left the location of the collision that caused a fire and injured at least two crew members. The ship was also believed to have turned off its tracking system, it said.

The Ceres 1 was found in Malaysian waters, eight nautical miles northeast of Pulau Tioman, with two tugboats towing it at 1.20am, the coast guard said in a statement on Sunday.

The Ceres 1 and the two tugboats have been detained for further investigation, it said.

MMEA’s search and disaster assistance division director Zin Azman Yunus said the tugboats were suspected to be “aiding the tanker in its escape”.

Meanwhile, aerial surveys conducted by the coast guard found minor traces of an oil spill at the location of the collision, 25 nautical miles northeast of Tanjung Balau, Kota Tinggi, between Ceres 1 and the Singapore-flagged Hafnia Nile.

The collision occurred at at 6.55am on Friday, with Ceres 1 said to have fled the scene.

“The environment department has been informed and will conduct further monitoring,” MMEA said.