JOHOR BARU: The search and rescue operation (SAR) for a missing crew member of the cargo ship MV Amanda which overturned and sank east of Tanjung Sepang waters, near Kota Tinggi on Tuesday, was called off yesteday.
Johor MMEA director First Admiral Maritime Aminuddin Abdul Rashid said the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Johor had decided to end the operation at 7 pm yesterday and that the SAR operation would be reactivated if there were any signs of finding the Bangladeshi crew member.
“The SAR operation was coordinated by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency with the Royal Malaysian Navy, Marine Police Force, Fire and Rescue Department of Malaysia, Malaysian Army and the Civil Defence Force.
“The operation involves three ships and two boats covering a search area of 120 square nautical miles from the Tanjung Penawar waters to Tanjung Sepang. In addition, an air asset of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency was also being used in the search,” he said in a statement here, today.
Aminuddin said after all the efforts undertaken since Tuesday including a search around the coast and a dive at the location of the shipwreck, there was still no sign of the victim.
In the incident at 2 pm on Dec 25, the vessel carrying nine crews, all of them foreigners, had suffered damage to the generator which caused the ship’s engine to stop functioning.
While attempting to make a full astern, strong waves pushed the vessel causing it to collide with another vessel and overturn and sink.
However, six male crew, five Bangladeshis and one Chinese had been rescued while three were reported missing. Of the three, the bodies of two crew members were found at 7.45 pm, on the same day. — Bernama
