PORT KLANG: Malaysia has formed a special team to investigate the collision of a US warship and a Liberian-flagged merchant vessel seven nautical miles off the coast of Johor. “Our team will investigate what actually transpired that day,” he said after opening the Asean Regional Training Centre for Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) at the Maritime Transport Training Institute here on Tuesday. The US 7th Fleet reported that the USS John S. McCain, a guided-missile destroyer, collided with the Alnic MC at 5.24am on Aug 21. The SAR was officially called off at 9.30am on Monday, according to Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director-general Datuk Zulkifli Abu Bakar. “I would also like to take this opportunity to express my condolences to the US Navy family, especially (those) on the USS John S. McCain,” he said.

Source: The Star August 29, 2017 04:37 UTC