First Admiral Abu Bakar Idris does not rule out boring into the vessel if search and rescue divers fail to locate missing divers.
The search-and-rescue operation will now focus on the dining area, engine room and storage area of the capsized vessel. (Reuters pic)
MUAR: Divers have searched almost 70% of the rear portion of a capsized sand-dredger off Johor but have yet to find any of the 14 missing crewmen despite knocking sounds heard from within the vessel.
Southern Region Maritime director First Admiral Abu Bakar Idris said today the search was conducted from midnight until early this morning.
One crewman was found dead and three were rescued after the vessel with 18 crew members, including a Malaysian, capsized near Muar.
Abu Bakar said 12 divers from the Royal Malaysian Navy (RNM) and private companies had taken turns to search the vessel.
“The divers did not find any of the missing crew but reported hearing knocking sounds from within the vessel. As such, we believe there are people alive down there,” he said at a press conference here.
Abu Bakar said the search-and-rescue operation, which entered its third day today, would focus on the dining area, engine room and store in the middle of the vessel where there was a possibility of finding survivors.
He added that RMN had brought in five more divers, bringing the total number to 17.
The rescuers also asked the Malaysian Armed Forces to send a medical team to be stationed at the main rescue vessel for immediate aid once the crewmen are brought to the surface.
Asked whether the rescuers would take the third approach of boring into the vessel to rescue the crewmen, he said a decision would be made later today.
“We had a discussion on that this morning. That will be the last resort if the divers fail to find anyone. In any case, the decision will be based on the advice of the engineer of the vessel,” he said.
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