MERSING – Four Indonesian crew members of a cargo ship were found adrift about four nautical miles west of Pulau Pemanggil here after jumping off the vessel which suffered engine failure last Monday.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Maritime Zone director Commander Suhaizan Saadin said the victims, identified as Darman, 42, Murhairi, 57, Agus Mustafa, 25, and Suhandri, 22, were believed to have drifted for about 110 nautical miles from the waters of Tg Pinang in Indonesia before they were found.
Before that, he said, the agency was alerted to the presence of a suspicious ship drifting near Pulau Pemanggil, following which an MMEA boat, Perkasa 44, which was on patrol in the area, was mobilised to the scene.
“The ship went adrift since last Saturday (August 12) at about 6pm and the crew members jumped off the vessel because they had been drifting for several days in bad weather and strong waves with no communication and help in sight,” he said in a statement late yesterday.
Suhaizan said all the victims did not suffer any injuries and were taken to the Mersing marine police jetty and handed over to the Mersing Maritime Zone for further action.
They will be sent back to Tg Pinang, Indonesia, upon completion of their documents by the Indonesian embassy, he said and expressed appreciation to the maritime community, especially the island residents, for their quick action in assisting the victims. – Bernama, August 17, 2023
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