JOHOR BARU, Oct 4 — A Bangladeshi crew member is feared to have drowned after falling overboard off a ship at Tanjung Pelepas Port, Gelang Patah, here, yesterday.

Iskandar Puteri Fire and Rescue Station head Senior Assistant Superintendent Mohd Khairi Zainuddin said the victim, identified as Miah Md Ujjal, was believed to have fallen into the sea at a height of 20 feet while working on a ship registered as Als Clivia.

"We received a distress call at 11.12am, and 24 personnel, assisted by the Water Rescue Team (PPDA) from the Skudai Fire and Rescue station, were dispatched to the location.

"Two members of the PPDA carried out a search and rescue (SAR) effort in the area where the victim was reported to have fallen, covering a 25-metre radius on both sides of the ship,” he said in a statement today.

However, Mohd Khairi said the SAR operation was temporarily suspended at 3.15pm due to rough sea conditions.

The operation resumed at 4.18pm after the situation returned to normal and the efforts were ongoing, he added. — Bernama