A cargo ship missing for five days off Malaysia’s Borneo has been found with crew and cargo unharmed, an official said today.

The alarm was raised when the MV Sah Lian carrying 14 crew and 500 tonnes of general merchandise failed to arrive on Saturday as scheduled, in an area known for pirate attacks.

The vessel was found yesterday at the mouth of Batang Baram river in Sarawak, about 100 kilometres from its destination of Limbang town. The propulsion and communications systems were incapacitated by engine trouble.

“The vessel has been towed to its destination,” said Lieutenant Muhamad Hainizam Mohamad Jamil, spokesperson for the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

- dpa