KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 — The Royal Malaysian Navy (TLDM) Board of Investigation has found that navigational error and ship obsolescence contributed to the incident of the KD Pendekar sinking in the waters off Tanjung Penyusop, Johor on Aug 25.

The Navy Headquarters said in a statement that it was based on the record of the ship’s route which strayed from the planned route and collided with the Punggai Reef (Stork Reef).

In addition, the obsolescence factor of the ship which exceeded the Kasting Policy which is 45 years old has made flood control difficult due to the weakness of the hull structure and accelerated the spread of flooding to other compartments.

"The rescue and buoyancy efforts of KD Pendekar were successfully completed on Oct 15 by a local firm and the ship is currently in the process of technical inspection,” the statement said.

On Aug 25, KD Pendekar sank during an operational patrol in the waters of Tanjung Penyusop after experiencing major leaks, believed to be a result of hitting an underwater object.

During the incident, all 39 crew members were safely transferred to the merchant ship MV ASHLEY without any injuries.

Meanwhile, investigations have confirmed the death of a TLDM Laskar Class I PLM Diver Arman San Hermansa during the KD Pendekar salvage operation was due to drowning.

"Conditions in the area of operation where erratic currents that resulted in sand blowing up on the seabed resulted in very limited visibility (around 1 foot on the day of the incident).

"This situation puts divers in high-risk situations and challenging work pressures. When the safety rope used by the diver was found to be stuck in the vessel, the emergency drill carried out by the victim was unsuccessful, causing him to drown,” the statement said.

In the same statement, the TLDM also informed that based on investigations, standard diving operating procedures and safety measures had been followed before the dive assignment began, as well as the equipment was also confirmed to be in good working order and the victim was confirmed to be competent.

The statement said TLDM takes the findings of the two incidents seriously and prioritises the safety and readiness of personnel in carrying out their duties perfectly in accordance with the set guidelines. — Bernama