MELAKA: After just five minutes battling heavy rain and storm out a sea, a container ship sank off the coast in Melaka after it was battered by huge waves and strong winds.
KM Avatar, which left Belawan for Batam at 11pm last night, sank 11 nautical miles off Tanjung Kling at about 2.30am.
Its chief officer Hartono, 48, said 13 crew members on board the ship managed to escape the sinking vessel in a lifeboat but the ship’s 52-year-old captain and 35-year-old chef were still missing.
"We were headed for Batam from Belawan at 11pm yesterday transporting food items and were expected to arrive at 10pm today.
"But heavy rain and strong waves hit our cargo ship and our container went overboard.
"Our ship started listing to the left before it sank completely," he said after being rescued and treated at Jetty Parameswara in Banda Hilir here.
He added that they managed to flag a passing ship transporting cars and were rescued.
"A Swedish vessel MV Undine rescued us and contacted the authorities for help before we were brought to shore," he said.
He added that those on board were all Indonesians aged between 20 and 66.
