Had Reported Missing In The Malacca Strait, KM Frikenra Complete With 5 Crew Members Found In Malaysia

SAR personnel observe when searching for crew members of a cargo ship in the waters of the Malacca Strait (ANTARA/HO/Humas Basarnas Banda Aceh)

BANDA ACEH - The Banda Aceh National SAR Agency (Basarnas) stated that the crew of a cargo ship that departed from Langsa Port, Aceh and was reported to have lost contact in the Malacca Strait was found safe in Malaysian waters.

The head of the Banda Aceh Basarnas, Budiono, said the victim's name was Muhammad Yusuf (41). The victim was a crew member of the cargo ship KM Frikenra, which departed from Langsa Port for Kantang Port, Thailand.

"The victim was found in the waters of Pukauy Penang, Malaysia by local fishermen on Tuesday at around 23.00 WIB. Then the victim was taken to a fishing base in the Melintang Perak Forest area, Malaysia," Budiono said in Banda Aceh, Antara, Friday, June 3.

With the discovery of Muhammad Yusuf, all the crew members of the KM Frikenra ship who were reported to have lost contact in the waters of the Malacca Strait, East Aceh Regency were found safe. All of them were found safe in the waters of Langkawi and Penang Island, Malaysia.

Five crew members of the KM Frikenra ship were found safe, namely Suratman (52), Khoiruddin (31), Junaidi (37), Muhammad Ihsan (27), and Muhammad Yusuf (41). All the crew members of KM Frikenra are residents of Medan, North Sumatra.

Previously, KM Frikenra was reported missing in the waters of the Malacca Strait, East Aceh Regency. The ship departed from Langsa, Aceh, last Friday at around 07.32 WIB and is expected to arrive at Kantang Harbor, Thailand, on Saturday (28/5) at 13.00 WIB.

However, until Sunday, May 29, the captain of the ship did not report his whereabouts. The owner contacted the crew, but was not connected. Then contacted Kantang Harbor, but the information was that the ship had not arrived.

Next, the ship owner reported to the Langsa SAR Post and forwarded it to the Banda Aceh Basarnas Office in Banda Aceh. Basarnas Banda Aceh dispatched a team using the SAR ship KN Kresna to look for the ship.

"On the second day of the search, on Monday, we received information about the discovery of three Indonesian citizens floating and rescued by fishermen in the waters of Langkawi, Malaysia," Budionoa said.

Furthermore, the Malaysian fishermen handed them over to fishermen from Pangkalan Brandan, North Sumatra, who passed by to take them home.

Based on this information, Budiono said, the Banda Aceh Basarnas coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) of Putra Jaya, Malaysia, regarding the search for victims after confirming that the three rescued people were KM Frikenra's men.

The Malaysians also mobilized their ships to look for victims, because of the location of the discovery of the crew of the KM Frikenra ship in Langkawi waters. The Central Basarnas has also conveyed an announcement to ships passing through the Malacca Strait regarding the missing victims.

"With the discovery of all the victims, the search and rescue operation for the crew of the KM Frikenra ship in the waters of the Malacca Strait has been closed. All SAR elements have returned to their respective units," Budiono said.