Five crew members of the stranded offshore support vessel MV Berkat Tuah have safely returned home after months at Hamriyah Port in Dubai. They arrived at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 9 AM yesterday, having been allowed to disembark on July 18. This followed ongoing discussions by the Malaysian Consulate General in Dubai with local authorities and the Malaysian Marine Department.
The Foreign Ministry acknowledged the UAE government’s support in facilitating the crew’s return and emphasized its commitment to safeguarding the welfare of Malaysians abroad. The crew includes Capt Hendi Irawan from Jakarta, Mohamad Luqman Yahaya from Terengganu, Mark Martin from Sarawak, and two crew members from Sabah. They had been stranded since October due to a complex commercial dispute involving a Singapore-based company, which left the operating company unable to pay the crew or arrange their return.
In response to the situation, the Malaysian Marine Department has established a special task force to address the outstanding wages owed to the 13 crew members, who are still owed six months’ salary. Director-General Datuk Dickson Dollah stated that they would engage with the operating company to expedite the claims process and provide an advance payment to the crew through collaboration with the National Union of Seafarers Peninsular Malaysia.
Mark, one of the crew members, expressed his relief at being home and gratitude towards Dickson for restoring their hope during a challenging time. He emphasized that his immediate priority is to spend time with his family after the long ordeal.
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