Three killed in offshore lifeboat accident off Malaysia

ALBAWABA- Three contractor workers were killed and another seriously injured after a lifeboat plunged into the sea during maintenance operations aboard a Petronas-operated floating storage and offloading vessel off the coast of Malaysia, authorities said.

The accident occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time on Sunday at the FSO Sepat facility located in waters off Terengganu on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The workers were reportedly conducting maintenance inside a lifeboat when it suddenly fell into the sea, possibly after a supporting rope or hook detached.

The victims were identified as Ahmad Fiqri Zakaria, 38, from Batu Berendam in Melaka; Muhammad Faezuan Hakim Mohammad Bustamam, 28, from Kuantan, Pahang; and Nik Muhammad Hafifi Asri Ab Majid, 38, from Bandar Indera Mahkota, Pahang.

A fourth worker sustained serious injuries and was evacuated to hospital for treatment, where he remains under medical observation. Authorities said three of the victims were pronounced dead upon arrival at Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah in Kuala Terengganu.

Malaysia’s state-owned energy company Petronas expressed deep regret over the incident and confirmed that all four individuals involved were contractor personnel. The company said it is cooperating fully with authorities and has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the accident.

Malaysian police have classified the case as a sudden death investigation.
The FSO Sepat forms part of Petronas’ offshore oil and gas infrastructure in the Terengganu-Kelantan basin, where floating storage and offloading vessels play a key role in storing and transferring crude oil from offshore production platforms.

The incident has renewed attention on safety risks associated with offshore maintenance work, particularly operations involving lifeboat deployment systems and marine lifting equipment.

 Although Malaysia’s offshore energy sector operates under stringent safety regulations, accidents involving contractor personnel continue to raise concerns about operational safeguards and compliance standards.

Petronas, which maintains extensive offshore operations across Malaysia, is expected to conduct a comprehensive review of safety procedures following the incident. 

المصدر: Al Bawaba