MMEA to probe fatal boat collision off Perlis

KUALA NERANG: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) will conduct an internal investigation into a boat collision that killed its sailor off Perlis on Monday night.

MMEA deputy director-general (Operations) Maritime Vice-Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah said the investigation would identify shortcomings and determine whether standard operating procedures (SOPs) needed to be improved to prevent similar incidents.

He said the agency had specific SOPs for every operation and regularly reminded personnel to comply with them.

"Whenever an incident occurs, a post-mortem or internal investigation is conducted to identify shortcomings that can be addressed through improvements," he told reporters after the funeral of Senior Maritime Petty Officer (Technical) Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan, 41, at the Muslim cemetery of Masjid Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah here last night.

Zawawi said the investigation would also examine the training and operational equipment.

"Internal investigations are usually initiated as soon as possible and may take a few weeks to complete.

"We want to determine whether any SOPs need to be refined for the benefit of all MMEA personnel and to prevent similar incidents from recurring," he said.

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He said the incident would not dampen personnel morale but would strengthen their resolve to safeguard the nation's maritime security.

On the welfare of Roshaimi's family, Zawawi said the agency would ensure his widow and two school-going children received appropriate assistance in accordance with existing procedures.

Roshaimi was killed and three others injured when their boat reportedly struck a concrete structure off Kuala Sungai Padang, near Kuala Perlis, about 11pm on Monday.

The team were pursuing a boat suspected of carrying undocumented migrants when the collision occurred.