MMEA to probe fatal boat collision off Perlis

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will investigate a fatal boat collision that occurred off Perlis on Monday night, killing one sailor and injuring three others. MMEA deputy director-general (Operations) Maritime Vice-Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah revealed that the agency's internal inquiry aims to uncover shortcomings and assess if standard operating procedures (SOPs) require enhancement to avert future accidents.

He clarified that each operation possesses its unique SOPs, and personnel are routinely reminded to adhere to these guidelines. After a funeral for Senior Maritime Petty Officer (Technical) Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan, 41, at Kuala Perlis, Zawawi said that the investigation would also scrutinize the training and operational gear.

The inquiry is typically launched shortly after an incident and might span several weeks. Zawawi emphasized that while the incident may not diminish personnel morale, it will reinforce their commitment to ensuring national maritime security. Roshaimi and his three colleagues were struck by a boat when it collided with a concrete structure during a pursuit of a vessel suspected of smuggling undocumented migrants near Kuala Sungai Padang, roughly at 11 pm on Monday.