LABUAN: The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) in the Labuan Maritime Zone successfully carried out the three-day maritime CARILAMAT search and rescue exercise involving 10 agencies here from Jan 18.
The Sabah and Labuan MMEA director, First Admiral Maritime Datuk Mohd Rosli Abdullah said the Labuan Search and Rescue Operation Exercise 2022 (LSARO-EXE 2022) involved the cooperation and participation of 10 government departments and rescue agencies, including the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), National Security Council (MKN), Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department and Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM).
Among the main objectives of the LSARO-EXE 2022 was to strengthen the communication network and simulations related to the Search and Rescue Action Plan between Maritime Malaysia and other rescue departments and agencies, as well as to improve effective coordination and channelling of information.
The exercise was also to assess the state of readiness of rescue assets as well as to evaluate the response time necessary in dealing with any emergency at sea.
The training was implemented in two phases over three days, involving the land phase (table talk) and the sea phase (practical session) and training simulations adapted from the actual situation of incidents at sea.
“Through this series of situational training, all rescue teams played their respective roles and responsibilities in controlling any incident that occurs,“ Rosli said at the closing ceremony of the three-day training at a hotel here today.
Meanwhile, since January until now, the Labuan Maritime Zone has recorded two CARILAMAT incidents at sea, namely in Kg Lambidan, Kuala Penyu and Sipitang waters involving two victims with one of them still missing.
“From 2007 until now, the Labuan Maritime Zone has handled 105 search and rescue cases, with a total of 324 people rescued, 33 people died and 23 others missing.
Rosli said the actual search and rescue area for the whole country was 894,766 square km while for Sabah and Sarawak it was 514,437 sq km.
“This significant vastness clearly shows the importance of the role of Malaysian Maritime with the cooperation of various agencies and departments in the event of an emergency at sea,“ he said. - Bernama