By Zaki Salleh
LUMUT: The heavy rains and bad weather that have hit the country over the past few days have also affected several locations along Malaysia’s maritime borders.
Among other things, the extreme weather conditions have caused landslides at various locations on Pulau Jarak, posing risks to the safety of personnel on duty as well as civilians on the island.
In a statement, the Strategic Communications Department of the Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) reported that they had received information about nine civilians carrying out lighthouse maintenance who had become stranded on the island.
Following this, a Super Lynx helicopter was deployed to evacuate them from locations deemed no longer safe.
“Through swift action and close coordination, all stranded victims were successfully rescued and moved from the high-risk area,” the statement said.
In a separate incident in the waters near Pulau Perak, the Langkawi Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) activated a search and rescue (SAR) operation at 11 a.m. after receiving a report of a boat that had capsized due to bad weather.
The TLDM vessel KD Ledang was deployed to the search area to carry out continuous operations.
“As a result of effective action on the ground, all nineteen victims were found at 10:15 p.m. last night, including one victim who was confirmed dead.
“The survivors were given initial medical treatment by the ship’s medical team before being brought ashore for further action,” the statement added.
TLDM advised the maritime community to exercise greater caution when going out to sea, especially given the current unpredictable weather conditions.
Vessels used must also be in good condition and capable of operating safely in the often-rough waters of the Strait of Malacca.
Additionally, strong winds and heavy rain can increase the risk of high waves and reduced visibility.
For public safety, it is advised to heed weather warnings and obtain prior information from the authorities before venturing out to sea.
