A tragic incident occurred on November 7 at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Johor, where a fire broke out on the container vessel MV Kyparissia, resulting in the deaths of three crew members and injuries to three others.
The vessel was part of Maersk’s chartered fleet and owned by Costamare at the time of the incident. The fire was reported at 12:23 PM, prompting an immediate response from the State Fire and Rescue Department.
Operations commander Mohamad Anuar Mohamad Amdzah stated that firefighters arrived at the scene just seven minutes after the emergency call. The blaze originated in the under-hatch section of Block 5 while containers were being unloaded.
Tragically, the deceased crew members included a 59-year-old Malaysian, a Filipino man in his 40s, and a British national also in his 40s.
Among the injured were a 26-year-old Malaysian and two additional Filipino men, also in their 40s. The injured crew members were transported to a private hospital in Iskandar Puteri for treatment.
Initial firefighting efforts were carried out by the PTP Fire and Rescue team, using two tugboats to contain the flames. A forward control post was established, and operations continued in coordination with port authorities to manage the situation.
The incident highlights the inherent risks in maritime cargo operations and the importance of rapid emergency response in minimizing further harm.
