Two crew members of the Hafnia Nile face charges over a fatal tanker collision off Singapore in July 2024. File Image / Pixabay

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has filed charges against two crew members of the Singapore-flagged tanker Hafnia Nile over a collision last July with the Ceres, a Sao Tome and Principe-flagged vessel, according to media reports.

The incident occurred 55 km northeast of Pedra Branca, resulting in a fire that killed one person and seriously injured another.

Charged under the Merchant Shipping Act are Indian national Soosai Antony Vainer and Sri Lankan Wickramage Viraj Amila Shavinda Perera.

The charge sheets allege the men failed to perform their duties on board, with Perera reportedly serving as the officer in charge of the navigational watch at the time of the incident.

If found guilty, they could be jailed for up to two years or fined up to SGD 50,000.