Putrajaya steps up efforts to bring home ship crew stranded in Dubai

 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says efforts are being coordinated by Wisma Putra and the Malaysian embassy in the UAE.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (second from left) at a meeting with Kamal Idhamuddin Kamal Arifin (in white), one of the crew members who recently returned after being stranded at Hamriyah Port, Dubai, for seven months. (PMO pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the government will intensify efforts to bring home the remaining crew of Berkat Tuah, the offshore support vessel still stranded at Hamriyah Port in Dubai.

Anwar said efforts are being coordinated by Wisma Putra, the Malaysian embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other agencies.

He said this after meeting Kamal Idhamuddin Kamal Arifin, one of the Malaysian crew members who recently returned after being stranded at the port for seven months.

“Alhamdulillah, Kamal and his colleagues have finally been brought home safely.

“Efforts are now being stepped up to ensure the remaining crew members can return as soon as possible,” he said in a Facebook post today.

Anwar said the government remains committed to safeguarding the welfare and safety of Malaysians abroad, and expressed hope that those still stranded will remain strong.

The wave of US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb 28, as well as Tehran’s retaliatory attacks on US military bases across the region, have forced the closure of much of the Middle East’s airspace, affecting flights around the world.

At least seven countries have announced airspace closures since the conflict erupted, including Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE. - FMT