Malaysian Navy’s First Submarine on Maiden Journey Home

The Malaysian Navy's first submarine KD Tunku Abdul Rahman has made its maiden journey to Malaysia from the French naval base in Toulon.

The Royal Malaysian Navy Commander Zulhelmy Ithnain commanded the submarine and its 35 crew members.

KD Tunku is likely to stop for few days at the Malaysian Navy's home base Lumut and Port Klang and will move to Sepanggar Naval Base in Sabah.

The submarine will transit the major ports of Jeddah, Djibouti and Cochin and is expected to reach Malaysia by early September 2009.

Malaysia signed a deal to purchase two submarines in 2002 of which the first was completed with its departure.