Body of tugboat crewman believed to have fallen overboard found off Pulau Papan

LABUAN - The body of a tugboat crew member believed to have fallen into the sea when the boat was anchored in the waters off Pulau Papan yesterday, was found at 7.45am today.

The body was located 20 metres south of Labuan's ferry jetty.

Labuan Maritime Zone director Captain Nudin Jusoh said the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) in Kota Kinabalu activated the search and rescue operation at about 9.40pm after receiving information related to the incident from the Maritime Operations Centre of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).

He said the man was identified as Kenneth Anak Saing, 33, who worked on the local tugboat "Tanjung Biru 1" and was reported missing by a friend after he was last seen at 6pm.

"All his personal items were found on the tugboat which was said to have been anchored before continuing its journey to Miri, Sarawak,” he said in a statement here today.

Nudin said as soon as the search and rescue operation was activated, an MMEA patrol boat was dispatched to the scene.

"The operation involved assistance from assets and members of the Marine Police Force, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and the Civil Defence Force,” he said.

The victim's body has been handed over to the forensics unit of the Royal Malaysian Police for further investigation.

The MMEA reminds the public to report any emergencies or accidents at sea to MERS 999 or the Labuan Maritime Zone operations centre at 087-427999. - BERNAMA