An explosion aboard a Korean-registered vessel Heung-A Pioneer killed one person and injured five others during its voyage down the the Tanjung Dawai coast, Malacca Strait, Malaysia near Kedah waters last night.
The explosion was preceded by a fire, which broke out in the middle of the ship’s deck.
The deceased has been identified as Myanmar national Tha Tun while the victims are aged between 28 and 58.
Penang Port received the ship’s mayday call and informed the relevant authorities, including the fire and rescue department and the police station, of the incident. Paramedics were deployed to the scene, but one seafarer died straight away after the explosion.
Once the vessel arrived at the port, the injured personnel were hospitalized for treatment.
“The captain of the ship revealed that the fire started from the middle of the ship’s deck which in turn caused the explosion,” a local official from Penang port said.
Acting chief executive officer of Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) Rosihan Adi Baharuddin said: “As soon as we received the call, we alerted the relevant authorities, namely the Fire and Rescue Department, the Seberang Jaya Hospital, the Butterworth Police Station and the Civil Defence Department (JPAM) to assemble and be on standby to await the arrival of the ship which was still about 45 minutes away.”
Rosihan said the cause of the fire is being investigated by the authorities and there were no disruptions on the port’s operations.