A gang of seven men boarded the 1,900–dwt Singa Berlian (built 1993) on 9 March off Pulau Bintan, according to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
The pirates were armed with guns and machetes and transferred the vessel's 1,500 tons of fuel to another ship before stealing the crew’s personal effects.
MMEA officers recovered the tanker off Batu Pahat in southern Malaysia, the DPA news agency said.
It was en route from Singapore to Labuan in Borneo.
The International Maritime Bureau said the gunnmen destroyed the tanker's communication and navigation equipment before fleeing.
One seafarer suffered a minor injury.
The tanker is operated by Sin Soon Hock of Malaysia.
