Four bodies recovered in MV Tung Sung capsize incident, four others still missing

 

Four out of eight missing crew in the capsize of MV Tung Sung, which sank and overturned in the Subuyau waters on Wednesday, have been found dead. - NSTP/NADIM BOKHARI

KUCHING: Four out of eight missing crew in the capsize of MV Tung Sung, which sank and overturned in the Subuyau waters on Wednesday, have been found dead.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak director, Maritime First Admiral Zin Azman Md Yunus said the bodies were found floating by fishermen at about 15 nautical miles from Pulau Burung on the third day of search and rescue (SAR) operations.

He added that the first body was discovered around 1.15pm, the second body at 1.30pm, and the third body at 2.30pm.

He said the MMEA vessel, KM Kinabalu, was deployed to the location to collect the bodies and verify reports being made by the fishermen.

"After sending the bodies back to the operating base at the Sebayau jetty, KM Kinabalu continued the SAR operations.

"The continuous operations had led to another discovery of a body at 5.20pm, near the location where the three bodies were found," he said in a press conference at the Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex in Muara Tebas today.

Zin Azman added that three of the bodies had also been sent to the Sarawak General Hospital for further action, while the last body was expected to arrive in Kuching tonight.

"However, the identities of the four bodies are yet to be made."

He also said the SAR operations would be expanded and focused on the areas where the four bodies were found.

"We believe they drowned when the ship capsized, and the body surfaced after three days.

"Hence, the next operations will focus on the nearby areas as bodies will usually move with tides."

On Wednesday, it was reported that the ship was believed to have capsized following strong waves and wind at 11.00pm.

MMEA received a report of the ship in distress at about 9.40am the next day before the SAR operation began at 1.20pm.

The eight missing crew members are between 20 and 52 years old with three of them being locals from Sibu, identified as Chieng Siew Ngiek, Wong Hua Wu and Stimba Anak Chuit.

Four more victims are Myanmar nationals That Min July, Ye Lin Htet, Hla Win Tun, Tun Lin Oo and an Indonesian Lido Ali Purwanto. - NST