Perak Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said that 19 crew members of a sand dredger were rescued after the vessel sank about 25 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Pasir Hitam near Kuala Kurau yesterday.
According to MMEA director, Maritime Captain Zainudin Mohd Zuki, the Kuala Kurau Maritime Zone Headquarters Operations Centre received an emergency call via the 999 hotline at 5.53am, prompting the activation of a search and rescue (SAR) operation at 6.30am.
He said that the operation involved MMEA assets KM GAGAH and PERKASA 1238, with assistance from the maritime community in the vicinity.
With all 19 crew members accounted for and rescued, the SAR operation was officially called off at 4.30pm, MMEA concluded.