SAR mission focuses on sea surface near sand-dredger mishap

MUAR: The diving operation to search for crew members believed to be trapped in a capsized sand dredger were halted today, as no more victims were found.
Southern Region Maritime Operations deputy director Sanifah Yusof said the operation involving 70 divers had to be stopped after repeated searches failed to locate any more victims.
However, the search and rescue (SAR) operation is now focused on the surface of the sea with the help of helicopters, while the Indonesian National Search and Rescue Agency would coordinate SAR activities in Indonesian waters, he said.
"We have ceased the diving operation from today as all the compartments (of the vessel) have been checked repeatedly, and no victims were found in the ship," he told reporters at the Pantai Leka SAR Control Post here, today.
According to Sanifah, the SAR operation was now expanded to 360 nautical miles from the scene, involving various agencies such as the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the Royal Malaysian Navy, the Royal Malaysia Police, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Civil Defence Force of Malaysia and Marine Department.
As of yesterday, five men were found safe, besides the bodies of a man and woman, all confirmed to be China nationals and crew members of the vessel.
Meanwhile, Muar District Health Officer Dr Noorhaida Ujang said the two bodies, which were found outside the vessel, had yet to be identified, and the authorities were waiting for family members and the vessel's owner to complete the process.
After five days since the incident, nine of the 18 crew members who were on board the ship are still unaccounted for.
Members of the maritime community and the public who discover or have any information about the remaining victims are urged to immediately report to the SAR team on-site, or report to the Batu Pahat Base Maritime Operations Centre at the number 07- 4344020 or the Malaysia Emergency Response Service at 999. — Bernama