Four crewmen on a Malaysian Department of Fisheries (Jabatan Perikanan Malaysia; JBPM) patrol boat suffered injuries after an explosion occurred on their vessel in the waters of Kampung Acheh in the western state of Perak on Saturday, April 18.
Firefighting and rescue teams were despatched to the scene after receiving a distress call at around 09:22 local time saying that the unnamed vessel was engulfed in flames near the Kampung Acheh Fisheries Complex.
A number of nearby fishing boats assisted in dousing the blaze, thus allowing the fire and rescue personnel to safely tow the patrol boat to shore and evacuate the crew.
Four JBPM personnel on the patrol boat suffered burns from the explosion but are expected to make full recoveries following treatment in hospital. The remaining two crew escaped the incident unharmed.
Local authorities have begun an investigation to determine the cause of the explosion, which occurred just as the crew were about to take the boat out to sea on a routine patrol on Saturday.