When I went to Pangkor few months back. I was fascinated with KD Sri Inderapura which was one of the largest ship anchored at the Lumut Naval Base.
It was built on 7 February 1970, at National Steel and Shipbuilding Corp and commissioned as USS Spartanburg County (LST-1192) on 1 September 1971
It served the US Navy as tank landing ship.
In 1994, the US Government decommissioned and sold to Malaysia for $18.7 million, under the Security Assistance Program.
Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) used the vessel as a multi role support ship and it has been used in many humanitarian aids missions such as 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami which hit Aceh.
The ship and its crew won accolades as one of the RMN vessels involved in the mission to rescue MISC ships Bunga Melati 2 and Bunga Melati 5 from Somali Pirates August last year.
On October 7, fire was detected on the ship as it was leaving Lumut Base and was brought under control.
Unfortunately on October 8, KD Sri Inderapura was gutted by fire. The fire reignited from ember in the paind and hydraulic oil stores and it is beyond repair.
So now, the Government will either sell the ship as scrap metal or turn it as a RMN Museum.
KD Sri Inderapura Specifications:
Displacement 5,190 t.(lt), 8,550 t.(fl)
Length 522' 3" (ovl)
Beam 69' 9 1/2" (max)
Draft max forward (fl) 13' 6", max aft (fl) 16' 3" 15'
Speed 27 kts. max.
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