Navy ship sinks while undergoing repair

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) hydrography ship, KD Perantau, which was undergoing maintenance work, sank on Tuesday night after springing a leak at the Boustead Naval Shipyard Sdn Bhd in Lumut, Perak.
No one was injured in the 11.17pm incident, reports Bernama.
In a statement issued today, the RMN said it is working with the shipyard to salvage the ship.
It said KD Perantau, which was used for hydrographic surveying and meteorological and oceanographic observation, was undergoing routine refitting work beginning Nov 10, and was expected to return to the RMN on Aug 10 next year.
"Before it sank, almost all portable equipment such as motor, pump and measuring equipment had been removed from the vessel to enable it to undergo the refit.
"Nonetheless, the RMN will set up a board of inquiry to identify the cause of the incident," it added.
KD Perantau was built at the Hong Leong-Lursen Shipyard in Penang and commissioned on Oct 12, 1998.
Meanwhile, in a statement late today, Boustead Heavy Industries Corporation Bhd, which operates the dockyard, said that while the vessel was still listing, further water ingress had been halted.
"We do not wish to speculate on the reasons for this incident. An engineering survey is under way to establish the exact cause."
It also confirmed there were no injuries or loss of lives.
"Efforts to re-float the vessel are under way," it said, adding that further information will be provided in due course.