All 19 crew of a sand dredger were rescued after their ship sank off the west coast of Malaysia. A sand dredger is a ship that pumps sand up from the seabed. The ship was the Vivo Arya, Malaysia's state news portal RTM reported.
The ship sank on Sunday, 25 October 2026. It was about 25 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Pasir Hitam, near Kuala Kurau in Perak state. That is in the Strait of Malacca.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Malaysia's coast guard, gave the details in a statement on 26 October. The news agency Bernama reported it.
How the crew were saved
The MMEA operations centre in Kuala Kurau got an emergency call on the 999 hotline at 5:53 in the morning. The search and rescue operation started at 6:30. The MMEA sent the ship KM Gagah and the boat Perkasa 1238. Other ships in the area also helped.
Another sand dredger nearby, the Yaode 1, rescued nine crew members.
Nine more crew were in a life raft. The ship Vivo Diya picked them up.
These 18 crew were taken to Batu Maung jetty in Penang.
One crew member was reported missing. The MMEA boat Perkasa 1238 found him safe. He is a 57-year-old Chinese man. He was taken to hospital for checks and treatment.
With all 19 crew found, the MMEA ended the operation at 4:30 in the afternoon. The statement did not say why the ship sank. It did not give the nationality of the other crew members.
What the coast guard says
MMEA Perak director Maritime Captain Zainudin Mohd Zuki said quick teamwork between the agency and nearby ships saved the crew. He asked everyone at sea to wear life jackets properly. He also asked them to keep safety equipment in good condition. These steps lower the risk of death in an emergency, he said.
In Malaysia, emergencies at sea can be reported on the 999 hotline. The Kuala Kurau MMEA operations centre is also on +60 11-3525 9919.
What crews can learn
Nine of the crew were saved from a life raft. This shows why the abandon ship equipment must be ready and every crew member must know how to use it.
Call for help early. A fast distress call gives rescuers and nearby ships more time.
Know your muster station and your job in the abandon ship drill.
Wear your life jacket properly, with all straps closed.
Check that life rafts, hydrostatic releases and lights are in good condition and in service date. A hydrostatic release lets the raft float free if the ship sinks.
If you end up in the water, stay together and stay near the raft or wreckage. A group is easier to see.
Ships near a sinking should help if they can. Here, two passing ships rescued 18 people.
Cover photo: The MMEA boat 1308, marked Maritim Malaysia, at sea off Semporna, Sabah, in April 2015. Illustrative photo, not from this rescue. Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped).
Sources: The Star (Bernama): All 19 crew members rescued after sand dredger sinks off Kuala Kurau (26 Oct 2026), Berita RTM: Kapal korek karam, kesemua 19 kru berjaya diselamatkan (26 Oct 2026, in Malay), Astro Awani (Bernama): Kapal korek pasir tenggelam di Pulau Pasir Hitam, 19 kru selamat (26 Oct 2026, in Malay).
