Malaysia insists leading SAR for missing US sailors

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia is leading the search and rescue (SAR) operations for the 10 missing sailors of US destroyer USS John S. McCain which collided with an oil tanker Monday.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Datuk Zulkifli Abu Bakar said reports that the operation was being led by Singapore were false.

Zulkifli also disputed reports that the collision between the guided-missile destroyer and oil tanker MV Alnic MC occurred in Singapore waters.

"The 5.30am incident happened 4.5 nautical miles from our coast in Teluk Ramunia. It is in our waters so we are leading the SAR operations," he told a press conference at MMEA headquarters here Monday.

He said the SAR was being carried out with water and air assets from MMEA, Royal Malaysian Navy and the maritime police.

"The search zones have been divided into four sectors, each a square of five by five nautical miles," he said.

He said Singapore was also conducting its own search in the area.

The collision took place close to Pulau Batu Putih, the focus of a territorial dispute between both Malaysia and Singapore.

However, Zulkifli said that now is not the time for arguments.

"We will communicate with Singaporean authorities and our men on the ground are also talking to each other," he said.

He added that the Indonesian navy is also sending two ships, KRI Parang and KRI Cucuk, to aid in the SAR.

He said while he did not want to speculate on what caused the collision, he noted that the area was a busy maritime passage.

"It is the entrance to the Singapore Straits and Malacca Straits, which sees over 80,000 ships passing through it yearly," he said.

Zulkifli said both ships involved in the collision have been directed to Singapore's Changi port for repairs and investigation.

"USS John S. McCain suffered a gash on its port side while it is unclear if the Liberian registered MV Alnic suffered any damage," he said.

Five sailors were injured in the incident and are in stable condition at a hospital in Singapore.

Zulkifli said that there was no sign of the missing sailors so far.