Maritime officer killed, three injured during pursuit of suspected migrant boat off Perlis

KANGAR, Oct 27 — A Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) personnel was killed and three others injured when their boat collided with a concrete structure during an enforcement operation off Kuala Sungai Padang, Kuala Perlis, last night.

Kedah and Perlis Maritime director First Admiral Romli Mustafa said five MMEA personnel were conducting the operation at 11.37pm to intercept a boat suspected of carrying undocumented Myanmar migrants.

He said the suspected migrant boat sped towards the shore after being detected, triggering a 15-minute pursuit. The boat is believed to have rammed the MMEA vessel, causing it to collide with a concrete structure near the Malaysian Fisheries Development Authority (LKIM) jetty at Kuala Sungai Padang.

“The impact threw three of the five personnel overboard, including one who was reported missing. He was found floating in the sea at about 1.30am today, unconscious, and was pronounced dead. He was believed to have sustained serious head injuries,” he told a press conference here today.

Romli said the three injured personnel suffered a fractured wrist, chest pain, and pain on both sides of the ribs. All were taken to Hospital Tuanku Fauziah for further examination and treatment.

The deceased was taken to Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah, for a post-mortem. His remains are expected to be buried in his hometown at Kuala Nerang, Kedah, after Asar prayers.

The deceased was identified as Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan, 41, an MMEA technical personnel.

Romli said nine suspected undocumented Myanmar migrants, comprising seven men and two women, and two Thai male boat operators were detained in the incident.

“Checks found that all those detained were suspected of offences under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007 (ATIPSOM).

“They have been taken to the Kuala Perlis Maritime Zone headquarters for further investigation,” he said.

Romli said the MMEA would investigate the incident to determine its exact cause, stressing that personnel safety remained a priority during enforcement operations.

He added that efforts to combat the entry of undocumented migrants through the country’s maritime routes would continue to be strengthened.

The MMEA also extended its condolences to the deceased’s family and expressed appreciation for his service in protecting the country’s waters. — Bernama

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加央，10月27日讯——昨晚，马来西亚海事执法机构（MMEA）一名人员在瓜拉玻璃市瓜拉双溪巴东附近执行执法任务时，其船只与一处混凝土结构相撞身亡，另有三人受伤。

吉打州和玻璃市州海事局局长罗姆利·穆斯塔法海军上将表示，马来西亚海事执法局五名人员于晚上 11 点 37 分执行行动，拦截一艘涉嫌载有无证缅甸移民的船只。

他表示，这艘疑似偷渡船被发现后迅速驶向岸边，引发了15分钟的追逐。据信，该船撞击了马来西亚海事执法局（MMEA）的船只，导致其撞上位于瓜拉双溪巴东马来西亚渔业发展局（LKIM）码头附近的一处混凝土结构。

“撞击导致五名船员中有三人落水，其中一人此前被报告失踪。今天凌晨1点30分左右，人们在海面上发现了这名失踪人员，当时他已失去知觉，随后被宣布死亡。据信他头部受了重伤。”他今天在新闻发布会上说。

罗姆利表示，三名受伤人员分别出现手腕骨折、胸痛和双侧肋骨疼痛。他们均已被送往端姑法兹亚医院接受进一步检查和治疗。

死者被送往吉打州亚罗士打苏丹娜巴希亚医院进行尸检。预计他的遗体将在晡礼后安葬于其家乡吉打州瓜拉尼浪。

死者身份已确认，为 41 岁的 Mohd Roshaimi Mohd Ridzuan，是马来西亚海事执法局 (MMEA) 的一名技术人员。

罗姆利表示，事件中共有9名涉嫌无​​证缅甸移民（7名男性和2名女性）和2名泰国男性船夫被拘留。

“经核查发现，所有被拘留者均涉嫌违反 1959/63 年《移民法》和 2007 年《反人口贩运和反偷渡移民法》（ATIPSOM）。

他说：“他们已被带到瓜拉玻璃市海事局总部接受进一步调查。”

罗姆利表示，海事执法局将调查这起事件，以确定其确切原因，并强调在执法行动中人员安全仍然是首要任务。

他还补充说，将继续加强打击非法移民通过海上路线入境的努力。

马来西亚海事执法局也向死者家属表示慰问，并感谢他为保护国家水域所作出的贡献。——马新社

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