LANGKAWI – The sinking of two yachts here in less than a month has raised a stink with the Marine Department over the possibility of neglect and sabotage by their owners.
On February 20, a 75m Enigma yacht, carrying a seven-member crew, caught fire off Pulau Singa Kechil, about 8.7 nautical miles from here.
The incident raised fears of pollution as it was supposedly carrying 60 litres of fuel.
The vessel, originally named Phocea, used to be owned by French businessman and politician Bernard Tapie.
In another incident last Saturday, a yacht named Epic Princess sank after hitting an unknown object about 0.3 nautical miles off Pulau Lalang, near the Tg Lembung inland port here.
Just before that, the yacht dropped off its passengers from a recreational cruise run.
The Epic Princess, believed to be owned by a wealthy Penangite, and its four-member crew were rescued by a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) patrol boat.
Currently, MMEA and the Marine Department have been trying to lift the yacht so it does not endanger the busy cruise lanes used by private and commercial charter boats.
Northern region Marine Department director Mohd Hafiz Abdul Majid told The Vibes that the body has opened investigation papers and it will take two weeks for investigators to reach a preliminary conclusion on what happened to the two yachts, including fraud claims.
He confirmed that there are claims of yacht owners abandoning their vessels at three Langkawi marinas.
But it is believed that in some cases, the owners are unable to do much because international travel has been banned for the past 12 months.
“We are concerned that the owners may have hired crew members who are not experienced in navigating the waters here, especially when the waves are strong.”
Hafiz urged owners to contact the marina management if they are facing difficulty in upkeeping their vessels.
Langkawi MMEA head Mohd Zawawi Abdullah said yacht owners need to ensure their vessels comply with the shipping ordinance as the agency will step up patrols against illegal berthing as a precaution against admitting passengers who might have Covid-19.
“We will increase enforcement operations to combat and prevent cross-border criminal activities in Malaysian waters.”
The public is advised to channel any information to the maritime operations centres in Kedah and Perlis at 04-966-2750. – The Vibes, March 2, 2021
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