Food flotilla: Vessel sets sail today after technical hitch

The 'Nautica Aliya' finally resumed its 'Food Flotilla For Myanmar' humanitarian mission today after experiencing a technical hitch which necessitated it to return to Port Klang at 11pm.

Mission leader Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim said the culprit was a 10-metre rope which had become entangled with the ship's propeller.

"Three divers were dispatched to sever the rope which had almost entered the engine section, and took nearly 10 hours to do the job.

"The ship left at 7am and is now in the Straits of Malacca and expected to reach Pulau Jarak, Perak at 7pm," he told a media conference here today.

Asked whether the vessel was carrying excessive cargo, he assured that it was loaded appropriately and safe to travel.

Abdul Azeez said the vessel was now carrying a cargo totaling 2,300 metric tons after another 500 metric tons were added when the ship berthed at Port Klang.

"We added another 500 metric tons while the divers were carrying out work to cut the rope," he said, adding that the Nautica Aliya was escorted by vessels from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency and Royal Malaysian Navy.

He also expressed relief that the Bangladesh government had given the green light for the mission.

"Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is also confident that the mission would be a success and tells the volunteers not to worry; InsyaAllah everything will go smoothly," he said.

The Food Flotilla for Myanmar mission bearing food, medicine, daily necessities, clothings and blankets will be sailing for 18 days through the Andaman Sea to reach Yangon and the refugee camp in Bangladesh.

It is organised by Kelab Putera 1Malaysia (KP1M) and the Malaysian Consultative Council for Islamic Organisation (Mapim) with the cooperation of the Turkiye Diyanet Foundation from Turkey.

About 195 volunteers from 13 countries comprising doctors, instructors, local and international media practitioners, and local and international non governmental organisation representatives are involved in the mission. -- BERNAMA