MELAKA – The search-and-rescue operation for an army commando feared drowned off Pulau Undan last Tuesday was suspended tonight.
Melaka and Negri Sembilan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Iskandar Ishak said the decision was reached after no clues were received for the past week.
“Various efforts were carried out, including sonar used by the field survey team from the National Hydrographic Centre’s operations and borders branch to locate objects in the water after a surface search failed.
“The operation was assisted by a team of divers from the Special Warfare Training Centre Sg Udang camp in Melaka; KD Duyong, and the Royal Malaysian Navy. However, no discovery was made after conducting dives at depths of more than 40m,” he said in a statement tonight.
He said Putrajaya Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre has sought assistance from Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency because of the possibility that the victim had been swept into the waters of Indonesia, based on data and information from the Search and Rescue Optimal Planning System.
He said maritime assets and partner agencies would continue patrolling as usual, adding that MMEA would provide information from time to time of any new clues or findings.
Iskandar said 22 assets had been deployed to the search location, consisting of 18 marine assets and four air assets, with 510 members from various agencies covering a search sector area of 1,040 sq km since the operation was launched on February 7.
"MMEA also would like to thank all the agencies involved as well as the local fishing community for cooperating during the week-long operation,” he said.
On February 7, the victim Edrin Baintim was feared drowned while undergoing diving training at 0.7 nautical miles southwest of Pulau Undan.
The victim went missing while taking part in the diving course with six officers and 37 participants from the Sg Udang camp. – Bernama, February 13, 2023
