Post by : Meena Ariff

Almost 80% of people who died at sea last year were not wearing life jackets. This was shared by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
First Admiral Mohd Tahir Khalid from MMEA said that in 2024, there were 226 sea accidents involving 1,348 victims. Out of these, 1,259 were rescued, 64 died, and 25 are still missing.

As of May this year, there have been 108 sea accidents involving 251 victims. From these, 203 were rescued, 36 died, and 12 are still missing.

“Most victims were not wearing life jackets during emergencies. If they had worn them, they could have floated and waited for help to arrive,” he said. He explained that nearly 80% of people who died or went missing did not use safety equipment, especially when boats overturned or people fell into the sea.
Many people do not wear life jackets because they feel uncomfortable, but there are now many light and comfortable life jackets available.

He spoke about this during the 2025 Maritime Safety Awareness Day held at Persiaran Kapal Bugis in Tanjung Harapan. The event theme was “Float to Survive”.

He warned that if people continue to ignore safety rules, the number of deaths could reach almost 100 by the end of this year. He urged everyone, including fishermen and the public, to learn basic floating skills.

“It is very important for everyone to know how to float, whether they go to the sea for work or for fun,” he said.

“Floating is one of the most basic skills to survive in an emergency. Many lives could have been saved if people knew how to float and stay calm until rescue arrived.”