JOHOR BARU, Jan 10 — The maritime authorities here are actively looking for a Malaysian-registered cargo ship MV Dai Cat 06 that has been reported missing at sea, following its last detected location in Indonesian waters on January 1.

Johor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Maritime First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said that the agency’s state chapter, through the Johor Baru Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC), received information regarding the incident from its counterparts in Langkawi at 5.13pm yesterday.

"The information was received shortly after the missing ship’s agent lodged a police report on the vessel’s disappearance at 12.11pm yesterday.

"The agent claimed that the MV Dai Cat 06 had left the Kampung Aceh jetty in Perak on December 23 and should have arrived in Kuching, Sarawak on December 31.

"Checks revealed that the last location of the vessel was detected through the Automatic Identification System (AIS) on January 1 in Indonesian waters, 0.2 nautical miles from Johor’s maritime borders,” said Nurul Hizam during a press conference at the Johor MMEA headquarters in Menara Tabung Haji here today.

Nurul Hizam said the latest information was obtained at 10.42pm yesterday where an Emergency Position Indicator Radio Beacon (EPIRB) signal was detected from MV Dai Cat 06 30 nautical miles north-west of Pemankat, Indonesia.

He said that the emergency signal was detected by the Malaysia Mission Control Centre (MYMCC) and Singapore’s Police Operation Command Centre (POCC).

Nurul Hizam explained that MV Dai Cat 06 was operated by three local crew members and two Indonesian crew, all aged between 20 and 57.

"We don’t want to assume that the vessel is lost, before receiving accurate information about the situation as all kinds of possibilities can happen at sea.

"This cargo ship is carrying a load of 527 iron pipes worth RM726,205. The Putrajaya Maritime Rescue Control Centre (MRCC) has informed the Indonesian authorities to request that the MV Dai Cat 06 vessel be located.

"The Johor Baru MRSC also sent a Navtex to request the assistance of the maritime community if they have information about the missing vessel,” he said, referring to the navigational telex device used on-board vessels to provide short range Maritime Safety Information in coastal waters automatically.

Johor MMEA has urged the maritime community to contact its operations centre at 07-219 9401 should they wish to relay any relevant information.