AN OIL tanker has caught fire off the coast of Malaysia, with three crewmembers missing.

According to media reports, Malaysian maritime authorities rescued 25 crew from 26-year-old tanker Pablo.

The ship was en route from China to Singapore to load crude oil. According to Reuters, it was not carrying cargo and there have been no reports of an oil spill.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said on Tuesday the missing crewmembers, two Indian nationals and a Ukrainian, could still be on board the vessel.

The tankers 232-metre-long tanker has a cargo capacity of 96,773 DWT tonnes and is registered in Gabon.

According to media reports, six days before the vessel caught fire, it changed flags, an indication it is involved in the “shadow fleet”, which transports illicit and sanctioned oil.