Kedah and Perlis Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Romli Mustafa said the crew members, including a woman, were located by the navy (RMN) ship KD Ledang after a search and rescue operation following a report received yesterday morning.

He said KD Ledang arrived at the RMN Region 3 jetty at about 6am, where the victims, aged between 15 and 53, underwent health checks by health ministry personnel.

“After the examinations, the 18 survivors were handed over to MMEA and the marine department for further action, while the deceased was handed over to the police,” he said in a statement.

Romli said the crew included three Myanmar nationals and one Bangladeshi, and that the search and rescue operation had been called off.

He expressed his appreciation to the agencies involved for their cooperation and dedication, and reaffirmed the commitment to continuously enhance preparedness and safety coordination in the country’s waters.