RSS Courageous

RSS "Courageous" was a "Fearless" class patrol vessel of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN). The ship was commissioned in 1996. She was involved in a collision on January 32003 with a merchant vessel ANL "Indonesia" off Horsburgh Lighthouse (Pedra Branca) which resulted in the death of four female RSN sailors.

ynopsis of Incident

The RSS Courageous was on patrol off the waters of Pedra Branca on the January 32003 and was travelling on the eastbound lane of the Traffic Separation Scheme when she made a turn against the flow of shipping at 2325 hrs. A collision with ANL "Indonesia" subsequently took place at 2335 hrs.

A large scaled search and rescue operation was conducted between January 3 to January 15 by the Republic of Singapore Navy, the Police Coast Guard and Police and naval units from Indonesia.

The four female sailors were at the rear of the patrol vessel in their sleeping quarters, believed to have been asleep. The ANL "Indonesia" was sailing to South Korea when her bow struck the RSS Courageous's rear and sheared off the stern. The sailors were believed to have been killed instantly, and two of their bodies sank into the sea as the merchant ship backed away from the stern of the patrol vessel. Divers later recovered the body of CPL Goh Hui Ling lodged between the bunks after the vessel was put in dry dock at Changi Naval Base. The bodies of 1SG Heng Sock Ling [ [http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2003/jan/05jan03_nr3.html Collision at Sea : Body Found at Bintan Lagoon Resort Identified to be 1SG Heng Sock Ling] . Retrieved on the 2008-09-20] and 1SG Seah Ai Leng [ [http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2003/jan/06jan03_nr1.html Collision at Sea : Body Found at Sebong Identified to be 1SG Seah Ai Leng] . Retrieved on the 2008-09-20] washed up on the Indonesian resort of Pulau Bintan and Sebong, north-west of Pulau Bintan on the January 52003.

The body of 2SG Chua Bee Lin was never found. Her body was originally believed to been lodged in the stern of the patrol boat which broke off following the collision and sank on the seabed. A salvage team from Smit International successfully lifted the wreckage on January 142003 [ [http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/news_and_events/nr/2003/jan/14jan03_nr.html Collision at Sea : Aft of RSS Courageous Successfully Lifted from Seabed] . Retrieved on the 2008-09-20] but her body was not found.

Aftermath

In the investigation report released on the April 42003 [ [http://www.mpa.gov.sg/infocentre/newsreleases/2003/030404.htm FINDINGS OF THE MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE (MPA)'S INQUIRY INTO THE COLLISION BETWEEN ANL INDONESIA AND RSS COURAGEOUS] Retrieved:2008-09-20] by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, it was revealed that RSS Courageous was under the immediate control of Lieutenant Chua Chue Teng, 23 who was a trainee Officer Of The Watch and was supervised by Lieutenant Ng Keng Yong, 27 at the time of the incident.

The findings of the investigations concluded 3 key errors of judgment that resulted in the collision:
* The initial alteration of course against the flow of shipping which technically contravened rule 10(b)(i) of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and increased the risk of collision.
* The decision to cross the bow of ANL "Indonesia" by RSS Courageous which contravened Rule 14 (a) of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
* The subsequent minor alternations of course to port by RSS Courageous which was unclear to ANL "Indonesia".

The two officers were subsequently charged in court under Section 304A Penal Code, for causing death by a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide and were found guilty and fined SGD$4,700 and SGD$8,000 by District Judge Tan Boon Gin. An appeal [ [http://www.onlinedmc.co.uk/the_rss_courageous.htm The "RSS Courageous" NG Keng Yong v Public Prosecutor] Retrieved:2008-09-20 ] was lodged at the High Court of Singapore but was dismissed by Chief Justice Yong Pung How in August 132004.

Six officers from the Singapore Police Coast Guard's PH50 "Hammerhead Shark" coastal patrol craft were awarded the Police Medal of Valour [ [http://www.mha.gov.sg/news_details.aspx?nid=689 News Release Police Medal of Valour for Rescue Efforts of RSS Courageous] Retrieved:2008-09-20] at the National Day Awards Investiture on November 52003 along with the Minister for Home Affairs Awards for Operational Excellence, a team award for all 39 officers on April 32003.

Casualties

;Dead
* 1st Sergeant Seah Ai Leng
* 1st Sergeant Heng Sock Ling
* Corporal Goh Hui Ling;Missing
* 2nd Sergeant Chua Bee Lin

References