KEMAMAN, March 26 — The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has sought the assistance of search and rescue teams from Indonesia and Vietnam to locate six fishermen, including the boat skipper, who have gone missing in Kemaman waters since last Monday.
Kemaman Maritime Zone director, Maritime Commander Rashidilhadi Abdul Rashid said this was part of efforts in continuing the search if the boat had drifted into the waters of the neighbouring countries.
“The Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRSC) in Putrajaya has informed all rescue agencies in Vietnam and Indonesia, by issuing notices on the missing local fishing boat,” he told reporters here.
The six onboard the boat have been identified as Mohd Hafizol Hisham Zakaria, 29, Mohd Samerin Suhaimi, 29, Muhammed Hazim Luqman Zakaria, 19, Rosidi Mohamad, 22, Mohamad Shahrul Ainmie Abdullah, 19, and Mohamad Zukarnain Mohamat Nor, 20.
They were reported to have gone out to sea last Monday and were scheduled to return the next day (Tuesday) but after failing to contact them on Monday evening, their family members lodged a report with the MMEA.
Rashidilhadi said as the SAR operation enters its third day today, more Royal Malaysian Navy and Marine Police assets would be deployed.
“Yesterday, two Malaysian Maritime vessels KM Pekan and KM Gemia, searched in the square 342 nautical miles sector while the AS365N3 Dauphin aircraft from Subang Maritime Air Station (SUMS) conducted two flights over 220 square nautical miles of the search area.
“However, the SAR operation which ended at 7pm led to no clues,” he said, adding that the operation today would be extended to the waters of Rompin and north of Pulau Tioman in Pahang.
— Bernama
