KUALA TERENGGANU, May 25 β Police have confirmed that three oil rig workers died while another has been critically injured after the lifeboat they were in fell into the sea during maintenance work at the Sepat platform in Terengganu-Kelantan waters yesterday.
Terengganu police chief Datuk Mohd Khairi Khairudin said the incident occurred at about 3.30pm on Sunday. The victims were employees of a service provider company working on the platform operated by Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd.
The deceased were identified as Mohd Hafizuddin Mohd Zain, 30; Mohd Faizal Mohd Zain, 32; and Mohd Syafiq Mohd Salleh, 28. The injured worker, aged 35, was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Initial investigations suggest the lifeboat malfunctioned during a routine maintenance drill, causing it to detach and plunge into the sea. The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has been called in to investigate the incident.
Petronas Carigali expressed condolences to the families and said it is cooperating fully with authorities. The platform's operations have been temporarily suspended pending a thorough safety review.
