SAR OPERATION CEASED: FOUR INDONESIANS STILL MISSING

By Zakaria Abdul Wahab

SINGAPORE, Jan 13 (Bernama) – The Singapore and Indonesian maritime authorities today ceased the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the remaining four missing Indonesian crew from the Singapore-flagged tugboat that sank off Pulau Batu Puteh last Wednesday.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and Indonesia’s Rescue
Sub-Centre in Tanjung Pinang terminated the operation after seven days of search
efforts involving more than 75 vessels and aircraft covering an area larger than
1,000 sq km.

In a statement Tuesday, MPA said it would continue to inform vessels passing
in the vicinity of the incident site to keep a lookout for the four persons that
remained unaccounted for.

Of the 13 crew reported to be on board the tugboat “Ocean Lark” when the
incident happened at about 5 am on Jan 6, two persons were rescued and seven
bodies were recovered in the course of the SAR operation.

Singapore deployed several naval ships, a Super Puma helicopter and two
Fokker 50 maritime patrol aircraft while Indonesia also sent four naval boats
and an aircraft during the search operation.

-– BERNAMA