'Arduous and complex' search: Singaporean crew member reported missing in US waters after falling off ship

SINGAPORE — A Singaporean man was reported missing in US waters after he fell from a bulk cargo carrier on Monday (June 19), according to BERITAmediacorp.

Mr Muhammad Furqan Mohamed Rashid, 25, was attending a course to become a junior deck officer, according to his friend Muhammad Fariz, who shared about the incident on Facebook on Wednesday.

"I come before you today with a heavy heart, seeking your support and prayers for a dear friend who is currently lost at sea," Mr Fariz wrote.

"The search and rescue efforts are in full swing, but the vastness of the ocean has made the task arduous and complex," he added.

Mr Furqan's sister, Ms Nur Afifah Mohamed Rashid, on Wednesday also appealed to her social media followers to pray for her brother's safety and wellbeing.

But according to the Los Angeles Daily News, the US Coast Guard has called off an active search by air and sea for a missing sailor on Tuesday evening (US time) after nearly 15 hours. The report did not name Mr Furqan.

Chief warrant officer and the search and rescue mission coordinator John Rose said: "The decision to suspend an active search is never easy and is only made after exhaustive efforts to find the missing person."

"We extend our deepest sympathies to this crew member's friends and family."

The San Diego Union Tribune reported that the US Coast Guard mobilised a rescue helicopter, a small boat and a cutter for the rescue mission.

Mr Furqan was believed to have fallen overboard when the vessel, African Cardinal, was sailing the Santa Barbara Channel en route to the Port of Long Beach, said the Coast Guard.

The Straits Times has contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore for more information.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.