3 Sembcorp employees, 1 Malaysian among 22 dead in tugboat sinking
A sunken tug boat is lifted from the Yangtze River by a rescue team near Jingjiang, Jiangsu province, Jan 17, 2015. Photo: Reuters
SINGAPORE — Sembcorp Marine said it is “deeply saddened” to report that three of its employees were among the 22 bodies recovered from a capsized tugboat in the Yangtze River yesterday (Jan 17).
The three employees worked for Sembcorp Marine’s tug towing subsidiary Jurong Marine Services. They are assistant manager Baginda Ali Zainul Abidin, 53, chief engineer Aif Rifadi, 41, and operations executive Bernard Chung Wai Kian, 27. Mr Baginda Ali and Mr Chung are Singaporeans, while Mr Rifadi is Indonesian.
“Management remains in touch with their families and will do our utmost to comfort, assist and support them during their grief and bereavement,” Sembcorp Marine said in a statement.
There were two other Singaporeans on board the Singapore-registered tugboat, JMS Delta, which sank on Thursday, during a trial.
Separately, Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the death of one of its nationals, Mr Cheong Kin Chin from Negeri Sembilan.
The ministry expressed its deepest condolences to his family, and said it would be facilitating the family’s travel to China. It added that the Consulate General of Malaysia in Shanghai is working closely with Chinese authorities to arrange for his body to be sent home. CHANNEL NEWSASIA
