MMEA to hold search and rescue exercise on Oct 10-12
KUCHING: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency ( MMEA) will conduct a comprehensive Search and Rescue Exercise (Sarex) from Oct 10 to 12
Its Sarawak enforcement chief First Admiral Ismaili Bujang Pit said the exercise was aimed to improve the capability of their assets and their roles during emergencies and to provide comprehensive coordination between departments and agencies involved in maritime search and rescue.
The exercise which involves a total of 250 people also aims to improve their level of efficiency, while strengthening and enhancing the search and rescue methods to be used during an actual event.
He said this after chairing the Sarex Coordination Meeting at their premises at Tun Abang Salahuddin Martitime Complex ( Komtas) in Muara Tebas near here yesterday.
Among the agencies taking part are the police, Marine Operation Force, Royal Malaysian Navy, Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Force, Marine Department and Sarawak Rivers Board.
Sarex will involve a large number of air, water and land transportation assets - MMEA ( one AW139 aircraft, two ships and three boats), Navy (two ships), Bomba ( one boat and one ambulance with Emergency Medical Rescue Services), Marine Department (one boat), police ( one patrol vessel) and Civil Defence ( one boat, one pickup, one lorry, one ambulance and a drone).
Ismaili said they were taking proactive measures in planning and implementing Sarex this time around, in line with the agency’s responsibility to coordinate search and rescue operations at sea. He added that since 2008, Sarex had been held annually together with other departments and agencies. A search and rescue operation at sea would be more effective with greater number of personnel and assets deployed.
This was proven during the search and rescue operation in Lingga when a helicopter with VIPs on-board crashed in Batang Lupar, Sebuyau on May 5.
Ismaili also said the exercise was meant to prepare MMEA to face the month of Oct which is recognised as National Preparedness Month due to the uncertain weather condition.
“We hope the exercise will have an impact so that we are prepared for any eventuality,” he added.
Based on MMEA statistics, a total of 31 operations had carried out in the state until yesterday. Out of the 31 cases, 23 cases were for the search and rescue assistance; the rest are missing incidents (three), deceased victims (two) and survivors, fire and medical evacuation (one each).