KUALA TERENGGANU: Three oil rig workers died while another was critically injured when their lifeboat fell into the sea during maintenance work Sunday (May 24).
The incident occurred at the Sepat platform in Terengganu-Kelantan waters.
Kuala Terengganu OCPD Asst Comm Azli Mohd Noor identified the deceased as Ahmad Fiqri Zakaria, 38; Muhammad Faezuan Hakim Mohammad Bustamam, 28; and Nik Muhammad Hafifi Asri Ab Majid, 38.
Another victim, Mohd Taufik Mohd Ruslan, 37, is reported to be in critical condition and is receiving treatment at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital (HSNZ).
In the 12.50pm incident, the four victims were believed to have boarded a lifeboat to carry out maintenance work on the lower section of the platform.
All victims were platform safety department personnel conducting maintenance on the lifeboat itself.
"The rope or hook attached to the boat is believed to have detached, causing the victims to fall into the sea along with the boat," ACP Azli said in a statement.
The rescue team brought the victims back to the platform before they were airlifted by helicopter to the Sultan Mahmud Airport at around 4pm.
They arrived at the airport at 5pm and were rushed to the HSNZ emergency unit.
Three victims were confirmed dead upon arrival at the hospital, while the survivor sustained severe injuries, believed to be bone fractures.
The bodies have been taken to the HSNZ forensic department for post-mortems scheduled for 8.30am tomorrow.
The case is currently being investigated as sudden death.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Faezuan's pregnant wife was distraught after learning about her husband's death on Sunday.
Nurkhaeryna Dhania Azreen Khairil Azri, 28, said she was informed that her husband had been involved in an incident at about 4pm Sunday after she received a call from his employer.
"The company was unable to provide any further information about my husband's condition at that time but only said he was involved in the incident but did not say whether he had died or why they had not obtained the full information," she said when met at the HSNZ's forensics department here Sunday.
As soon as she finished with the call, she and her mother left home from Bukit Setongkol, Kuantan, Pahang and arrived at the hospital at about 7pm.
Nur Kairina said the last time she met her husband was last Sunday (May 17), before he returned to duty on the offshore platform for two weeks.
Her husband, an experienced offshore worker since 2019, had just joined the company in March, and was scheduled to return on June 1.
"I'm very sad because he had planned to accompany me during my confinement period after we welcome our second child into this world. Only Allah SWT knows how devastated I feel," she said.
