On Thursday 20 May 1999, a Bahamas-registered cruise ship Sun Vista operated by a Singapore company, Sun Cruises, caught fire in the Malacca Strait, southwest of Penang. It sank subsequently. All the passengers and crew were saved through the timely evacuation of the ship and the swift response and effective handling by the Malaysian maritime authorities. The rescue operation was carried out under the supervision of the Port Klang Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC).

As soon as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) was notified about the fire, its emergency response team was put on standby to assist in the rescue operation. The MPA's Port Operations Control Centre was also in contact with the Port Klang MRCC and the local agent, Jardine Shipping, to provide any assistance that might be needed, and to get more details about the incident and the welfare of the passengers and crew. The MPA also alerted the salvage companies and RSN. Although the MPA's help was not required, it continued to monitor the situation.

The MPA places great emphasis on the safety of cruise ship passengers. One of the measures taken by the MPA is to insist on the carrying out of regular lifeboat and fire drills by cruise ships which call at Singapore. Evacuation exercises by cruise ships are also carried out together with the MPA.

The MPA expects that as the Flag state the Bahamian authorities will be investigating this incident and we will be in touch with them. Also, the MPA will be in contact with Sun Cruises to find out more about the causes of the incident on its own.

End of Release.