MMEA: One week on, cargo ship carrying metal pipes still missing after leaving Perak waters

JOHOR BARU: A cargo ship ferrying metal pipes with five men on board has been missing for over a week after sailing from a jetty in Perak.

Johor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said that the Malaysia-registered ship left Kampung Acheh, Perak on Dec 23 and was supposed to reach Kuching, Sarawak on Dec 31.

"Johor MMEA received information about the missing ship on Monday (Jan 9) after the ship's agent made a police report.

"The last location of the ship was detected on Jan 1 through the Automatic Identification System (AIS). The ship was then in Indonesian waters and about 0.2 nautical miles from Johor waters," he said.

He noted that there were three Indonesians and two Malaysians between the ages of 20 and 57 years old on board.

Nurul Hizam said this in a press conference at the Johor MMEA headquarters here on Tuesday (Jan 10).

"At about 10.42pm on Monday (Jan 9), the Malaysia Mission Control Centre and Singapore Police Operation Command Centre detected an emergency signal from the ship.

"The emergency signal came from a location that was about 30 nautical miles north west of Pemangkat, Indonesia," he said.

He added that there were about 527 metal pipes worth about RM726,000.

Asked if it was possible for the ship to be attacked by pirates, he said that the agency did not want to make any speculation.

"We do not want to make any speculation. Anything could happen in the sea," he said.