RMN said the ship partially sank in the incident, which occurred at noon two nautical miles southeast of Tanjung Penyusop while it was conducting an operation in the area.

“Water rushing in from (the leak), which was first detected at the ship’s engine room, spread quickly and uncontrollably throughout the ship,” it said in a statement.

It said all 39 crew members were rescued after efforts to stem the leak and stabilise the ship failed.

“The focus now is on conducting a salvage operation to save the ship. RMN will establish a special investigative board immediately to determine the cause of the incident,” it said.

The navy said several parties responded to the incident, including the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, the police and the maritime community in the vicinity.

“The public is advised not to speculate on the incident. Please refer to official RMN sources for the latest developments and accurate information,” it said.