JOHOR BARU: The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), Royal Malaysian Airforce (RMAF), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and their counterparts from Singapore are involved in the search and rescue (SAR) mission for 10 missing crewmembers of the United States’ guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain, which collided with a merchant vessel in east Johor waters.
RMN chief admiral Tan Sri Ahmad Kamarulzaman Ahmad Badaruddin said on twitter that the KD Handalan vessel and Superlynx helicopter are joining the search being conducted by the air force’s and the MMEA’s assets.
"KD Handalan, SuperLynx, MMEA ship and an RMAF aircraft deployed to help SAR of 10 missing crew of #USSJohnSMcCain after collision in east Johor," said Kamarulzaman on his twitter handle “Chief of Navy.”
He said the SAR for USS John S McCain's missing crew was activated at 8.45am today, with search teams combing 4.5 nautical miles of Northern Patches, where the crew were last seen.
Marine police from the force’s Region 2 are also involved in the search. Region 2 Marine Operations Force chief Assistant Commissioner Paul Khiu said four boats from the southern region have been deployed to the SAR area.
The US navy said 10 sailors are missing, and five were injured, after its destroyer collided with the Liberian-flagged Alnic MC oil or chemical tanker east of Singapore early today.
It is the second accident involving a US Navy destroyer in Asian waters in two months.