Divers recover body from capsized barge

SINGAPORE - Divers involved in the search-for missing crew members of the capsized Mongolian-flagged barge Guo Liang 677 recovered a body from the vessel on Sunday.

The barge's owners have made arrangements to send the body to Malaysia. The barge, owned by Johor-based company Gold Stone Marine, capsized in Singapore waters last Wednesday.

As of 7pm on Sunday, the effort coordinated by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore had involved at least two Super Puma helicopters and two Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the air force, five patrol vessels from the navy and five Police Coast Guard patrol craft.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) continued to coordinate the search and rescue (SAR) operations for missing crew members of the capsized Mongolian-flagged barge Guo Liang 677 for the fifth day on Monday. The barge had capsized on 24 July 2013 in Singapore waters about 7 nautical miles north of Horsburgh Lighthouse.

Divers recovered a body from the barge on Monday and the barge's owners have made arrangements to send the body to Malaysia. The barge is owned by Gold Stone Marine Sdn. Bhd., a company based in Johor, Malaysia.

As of 1900 hours (Singapore time) Monday, the SAR operations has involved a total of two Super Puma helicopters and two Fokker-50 Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), five patrol vessels from the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), five Police Coast Guard (PCG) patrol craft, divers and three diving support vessels, and 146 passing commercial vessels.

For media enquiries, please call MPA's media hotline at 8366 2293.

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