Malaysian navy launches search for crew of missing gunboat

The commander of a Malaysian gunboat that went missing off Borneo island at the weekend has confirmed the safety of all seven crew onboard after establishing radio contact.

The vessel went missing after it set out for a routine sea patrol in the South China Sea on Sunday near Mengalum island off eastern Sabah state.

"The boat and crew members are safe," navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar said on Twitter.

The vessel's commander confirmed that in a radio message, Jaafar said, adding that strong waves were preventing rescue ships from reaching the stricken gunboat.

"Choppy waters and low rain clouds were making search and rescue operation for the combat boat difficult," he said.

In an earlier statement, the navy said that the missing gunboat was on its way to its operational area in Layang Layang atoll, which is part of the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea.