18 crew members rescued from sinking China-bound ship

Published: Monday August 31, 2009 MYT 5:26:00 PM

By CLARA CHOOI


LUMUT: An 18-member crew of foreigners aboard a sinking China-bound merchant ship were finally rescued after being stranded for over five hours in the open waters off Pulau Perak here.

The ship, Hodasco 15, started to sink about 10 nautical miles west of the island from 10pm on Sunday after registering a severe leak in its engines.

Maritime 3 district logistics director Lt-Kdr Nurul Hizam Zakaria said Monday that the 6,045-tonne Hodasco 15, which was registered in Mongolia, was carrying iron ore from Calcutta, India, and was en route to China.

"They were stranded for five hours aboard their sinking ship before another vessel happened to pass them by," he told reporters at the Malaysia Fisheries Development Board jetty in Kampung Acheh Monday.

Lt-Kdr Nurul Hizam said the second ship, MV Boron, which was on its journey to Syria from India, successfully rescued all 18 crew members aboard the Hodasco 15 before the entire ship sank.

The crew members, comprising three Myanmar nationals and 15 Vietnamese, including the ship's captain Le Hoang Quan, were then brought to Pangkor Island.

"Upon reaching Pangkor Island, MV Boron sent out distress signals to the Malaysia Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) in Putrajaya," he said.

The MRCC later dispatched a team of nine maritime officers and three boats from the Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency to Pangkor Island Monday to bring the crew members back to the Kampung Acheh jetty.

"We will help them contact their respective embassies in Kuala Lumpur so that arrangements can be made for their return home," he said, adding that none of the crew members were hurt in the incident.

Copyright © 1995-2009 Star Publications (M) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)