BACHOK, June 30 — The search-and-rescue operations for four anglers who went missing in a capsized boat tragedy due to a storm last night continues this morning, with efforts focused on the scene of incident about 10 nautical miles from the Kuala Kemasin Base Jetty.
Kelantan Deputy Police Chief SAC Abdullah Mohamad Piah since the incident was reported at 8 p.m. last night, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) has been conducting the search operations with the help of local fishermen.
“The search efforts by the MMEA have been on-going since last night as it has the assets to move at night.
“Other agencies such as the police and the Civil Defence Force will assist this morning,” he told reporters here.
Abdullah said eight MMEA officers and 25 other personnel were involved in the operations last night.
In the incident, four victims were found drowned, four more are still missing while 12 others were rescued. All are between the ages of 18 and 60 years.
Those confirmed dead were Mohd Syahrizan Daud (in his 40s), Muhamad Zaki Muhamad Nordin, 19, Wan Aminudin Wan Hussin (in his 60s), and a Thai national known only as Pokta, in his 50s.
The four missing victims are Arman Ismail, 43, Harun Daud (in his 60s) , Syafiq Abdul Halim, 30 and Che Wadi Bakar, (in the 40s).
Abdullah said the fishing boat the anglers were travelling in was reported to have been hit by a storm and strong waves, causing the anchor rope to break and the boat overturned, throwing all the victims into the sea.
Source: BERNAMA