With lives at stake and the clock ticking, PCG ERT officers took on a high-risk mission to secure a chemical tanker and rescue its crew.
By: Al Cheng
At about 7am on 28 February 2025, officers from the PCG's Emergency Response Team (ERT) received an alert about a case of unauthorised boarding in the Singapore Strait, outside Singapore’s territorial waters. A group of six or seven unidentified perpetrators had infiltrated the Singapore-registered chemical tanker Basset, and a crew member had reportedly been injured.
On patrol aboard their Police Coast Guard (PCG) craft a short distance away, Inspector (Insp) Muhammad Rasidi Suriade and his team knew the situation was urgent.
The Mission Begins
The PCG ERT officers immediately proceeded to where the Basset was. Insp Rasidi was tasked with leading the boarding operation while Sergeant (Sgt) Muhammad Zukhairie Khairudin provided cover onboard a PCG patrol craft near the Basset using the Seaborne Electro Optics System (SEOS).
Mounted onboard the PCG craft, the SEOS significantly enhances the PCG’s surveillance capabilities, effectively detecting heat signatures (especially in low-light conditions). The system allows for the real-time observation of vessels and surrounding waters, enabling potential threats and suspicious activities to be detected.
Through the SEOS, Sgt Zukhairie monitored the Basset as it approached Singapore’s territorial waters. He scanned for suspicious movements onboard the tanker and for any craft nearby.
“We also profiled the Basset to gather detailed information about the vessel, to ensure that the boarding team was well-informed before making their move,” Sgt Zukhairie explains.
Boarding Under Uncertain Conditions
At about 8.20am, Insp Rasidi led his team to board the Basset, which is more than 50 times the size of the PCG patrol craft, after it entered Singapore’s territorial waters. Their primary objective was clear – secure the tanker, evacuate the casualty and neutralise any threats.
After they’d climbed aboard the Basset, they saw a crew member on the main deck bleeding from his right eye. While two officers stayed with the injured man, the others focused on locating the perpetrators.
The officers quickly accounted for all the crew members. Meanwhile, Sgt Zukhairie used the SEOS to look out for any perpetrators. “The crew members told us the perpetrators had already left the tanker,” he recalls, “but we couldn’t be certain until we’d fully swept the area.”
A vessel from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) soon arrived alongside the Basset. As soon as the main deck, which was around 200m long, was cleared, SCDF officers conveyed the injured crew member back to the mainland for medical treatment.
“We swept the Basset to ensure no further casualties or threats were present, while also securing the area,” Insp Rasidi says. “We also checked that no perpetrator was posing as a crew member. Finally, the all-clear was given when no perpetrators were found onboard.”
The entire operation had taken two hours.
A Mission that Matters
Reflecting on the boarding and subsequent search, Insp Rasidi, who has more than 20 years of experience in the PCG, shared what helped him to maintain his focus. “Time constraints, situational awareness and the safety of my team and the tanker crew were all important considerations,” he recalls. “I needed to remain composed under pressure and ensure that emotions didn’t interfere with my judgment.”
For Sgt Zukhairie, who was posted to the PCG in 2019, it was also their training that helped them to prepare for various scenarios out at sea: “Through rigorous training in boarding operations, Close Quarter Battle and tactical movements, we hone the skills and knowledge to respond swiftly to such volatile situations.”
Asked what keeps them going in such high-stakes roles, Insp Rasidi’s response was simple – duty: “As Police officers, we understand the importance of what we do. The mission may not be easy, but we’re committed to doing our part to protect those in need.”
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