ALOR SETAR: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) rushed to the aid of 511 passengers after their ferry ran aground on a mudflat during low tide on Thursday (Feb 23) night.
Kuala Kedah MMEA director Commander Noor Azreyanti Ishak said the Ekspress Bahagia 168 ferry was on its way to Kuala Kedah from Langkawi when it became stranded 0.8 nautical miles (1.48km) off the Kuala Kedah estuary.
ALSO READ:Langkawi ferry runs aground near jetty, over 500 passengers stranded
"We received a distress call from the Marine Department and a Perkasa 1224 boat was deployed to see to the safety of those involved and assist the department," she said in a statement on Friday (Feb 24).
Cmdr Noor Azreyanti said the ferry was safely towed by a tugboat from a cargo company in Kuala Kedah at about 11.15pm, escorted by the MMEA vessel.
The operation, coordinated by the Langkawi Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre, ended at about midnight, she added.
Other agencies involved in the rescue effort were the Fire and Rescue Department, police, Health Ministry, Civil Defence Force and People's Volunteer Corps (Rela).
"Maritime Malaysia welcomes any information and complaints in the event of an emergency at sea (channelled) to the Kuala Kedah Maritime Zone Operations Centre at 04-7310579 or MERS 999 for immediate response," Cmdr Noor Azreyanti added.
ALSO READ: 139 rescued from ferry that ran aground near Kuala Kedah
This was the third ferry stranded in the area in four months.
At about 4pm on Oct 23, a ferry carrying 547 passengers from Kuala Kedah to Langkawi became stranded near the Kuala Kedah jetty.
In the second incident, a ferry with 133 passengers on the same route ran aground near the Kuala Kedah jetty at 4pm on Oct 28.
