MIRI – Four crew members are still trapped inside the MV Tung Sung cargo ship, which capsized in the South China Sea off southern Sarawak after it was toppled over by huge waves a week ago.
The gigantic task of refloating and turning over the sunken vessel weighing hundreds of tonnes is underway.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and management of the company owning the vessel have deployed divers, cranes, drilling equipment, and other heavy machinery to facilitate the humongous task.
Search-and-rescue teams have already found four bodies out of the eight missing men who were aboard the ship that capsized on July 20 after it was battered by huge waves near Pulau Burung.
The Fire and Rescue Department’s air unit and sea search teams have expanded their search area to more than 200 square nautical miles.
Sarawak MMEA head Admiral Zin Azman Yunus said the refloating is required as the missing crew members may be trapped inside the capsized vessel.
“It may require a few days to refloat the vessel as it is difficult and also a high-risk task.
“We are getting divers to the site and also the cranes and ships needed to refloat the vessel,” he said.
The water at the site is about five metres deep but has zero visibility, he added.
On the surface and in the air, the search-and-rescue missions persist.
Last Thursday, the MV Tung Sung was reported to have capsized around 2pm.
The marine police and Civil Defence Unit are also participating in search-and-rescue efforts. – The Vibes, July 27, 2023
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