SANDAKAN: Three crew members of tugboat are missing after their vessel capsized in choppy waters off Sandakan on Sabah s east coast.
A fourth crew member of the tugboat managed to safe himself by swimming to a nearby coastline following the incident that occurred in waters around the Kuala Kinabatangan river mouth near Sandakan at about 4am on Wednesday (Jan 13).
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sandakan director Kapt Zaiunuddin Mohd Zuki said that a search and rescue operation was immediately launched after the tugboat owner alerted Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Kota Kinabalu at 4pm on Wednesday.
He said the tugboat registered as Ever Winner was pulling the empty barge (Ever Eternity) when they were caught in rough seas and bad weather before the boat apparently capsized.