An oil and gas maintenance vessel Dayang Topaz capsized near an offshore platform located about 7.7 nautical miles off Kuala Baram, Miri this morning, claiming the life of one of its crewmen.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Maritime Admiral Datuk Mohd Zubil Mat Som said that the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Putrajaya had received a report from an offshore construction vessel, Sapura Constructor at about 6.45 am, saying it received a ‘mayday call’ from the ill-fated vessel.
“Sapura Constructor went to the location to locate Dayang Topaz which was said to be sinking with 62 crewmen still onboard while 125 other crewmen abandoned the vessel by jumping into the sea.”
He said three vessels and a boat belonging to MMEA in Miri with seven vessels and boats belonging to Petronas and Shell have been mobilised to the location.
All of the crewmen who jumped off the vessel have been found at about 9.29 am, with one of them was reported to have died in the incident, he said.
Mohd Zubil said initial information revealed the vessel capsized after one of its anchor cables broke following the bad weather, causing it to collide with the platform.
MRCC Putrajaya is cooperating with Petronas, Shell, the Navy and the Fire and Rescue Department, as well as the local fishermen community and the Brunei National Search Coordination Centre, which had assigned an aircraft belonging to Brunei Shell Petroleum to assist in the rescue operation.
“MMEA’s assets KM Siagut, KM Siakap and Bot Penggalang 23 are at the location to monitor the rescue operation.”
The operation was carried out under rough sea condition with waves of up to four metres high.
Source: BERNAMA
