Inp.polri.go.id - Siak. Mohammad Zafir (21), a Malaysian citizen serving as a crew member aboard the barge BG Mcl Persada, fell overboard and drowned in the Siak River near Tambatan Imin Port in, Siak Regency, Riau.

Head of the Siak Sub-regional Police Maritime, Water and Air Unit, Assistant Senior Inspector Jefri A Purba, said on Monday (6/1/2025) that the victim is suspected to have fallen while untying mooring lines as the vessel prepared to depart.

"After releasing the moorings with six colleagues and regrouping to await transport, the victim was missing from the barge. The incident occurred at 7:15 a.m. on Sunday (Jan. 5)," he said, as quoted by antaranews.com.

Initial searches by the ship's captain and crew, along with local residents, using small boats proved unsuccessful. The search efforts have since been joined by Siak Police, local port authorities, PT RAPP's safety team, and Siak’s Disaster Mitigation Agency.

The absence of life jackets among the crew and the lack of safety barriers along the riverbank have raised safety concerns.

As of Monday evening, the victim remained missing, and search efforts will continue.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)