KUALA LUMPUR -- A ship with 14 crews and 500 tons of cargo went missing on Saturday in the South China Sea on its way from Kuching to Limbang of Malaysia's state of Sarawak, local media reported on Wednesday.

Malaysian English language newspaper New Straits Times quoted Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak enforcement chief First Admiral Ismaili Bujang Pit as saying that the vessel, registered as "San Lian," departed from Kuching Port Authority on Sept. 2 and was expected to arrive in Limbang on Sept. 5. "However, the vessel didn't reach Limbang as scheduled and the owner failed to contact his crews," he added.