One Malaysian and six Indonesians were missing after a crane o­nboard a barge broke loose and crashed o­nto a tugboat in the waters off southern Johor state, police said Sunday.

"We have launched a search and rescue operation. Right now our divers are in the waters," Dimin Awang, deputy chief of the southern region marine police told AFP .

Dimin said the freak accident happened o­n Saturday when the crane was lifting a small boat into the barge when it broke loose, hitting the tugboat moored alongside the barge.

"The police are investigating the accident," he said.

Dimin said police would continue the search operation until all seven were found. - AFP