Marine Dept directs company to locate wreckage of M.V Setia Kilas

Eastern Region Marine Department director Hairizam Albukhari said the move was to ensure that the wreckage does not drift and disrupt the shipping lanes.

"Among the suggestions put forward is to use the 'hydrographic survey' method to determine the position of the wreckage, taking into account the current weather conditions, where strong waves and strong currents could drift the ship.

"After the ship’s position is identified, there will be follow-up action involved, including removing the wreckage. It is in line with the notice issued under Section 381 of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952, '' he said when contacted by Bernama today.

Meanwhile, he said checks by the department at the scene today found no traces of an oil spill.

"This vessel is not an oil tanker and it uses diesel as fuel. The risk of an oil spill pollution can be said to be minimal, because it (diesel oil) evaporates easily," he said.

He said the Marine Department would also conduct an investigation under the provisions of Section 334 (1) of the same Ordinance to identify the true cause of the incident for improvement purposes and to prevent such incidents from recurring.

M.V. Setia Kilas was reported to have sunk at the Kuala Terengganu Estuary at 11 am yesterday after drifting and crashing into a breakwater following an engine failure.

The ship was undergoing machinery testing prior to the incident.