Boat tragedy: SAR op for missing anglers continues tomorrow

The search and rescue (SAR) operation to find three more missing anglers who are feared drowned after a boat carrying 20 people capsized following a storm about 10 nautical miles from the Kuala Kemasin Base Jetty, was suspended at 6 pm today.

Kelantan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Captain Muhd Nur Syam Asmawie Yaacob, who is also the operation commander, said the operation would resume at 6 am tomorrow.

"Today, the search involved a radius of 162 kilometres (km) and will be expanded to 324 km tomorrow if the three remaining missing victims are not found.

"So far, two personnel each from the MMEA Diving Unit and Kelantan Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) have searched the capsized boat thoroughly and the boat was towed to Muara Kemasin at 6.15 pm today.

"So far, there are no signs of any victims in the boat," he told reporters at the fishing jetty in Kuala Kemasin here today.

The five victims who died in the incident were Mohd Syahrizan Daud, in his 40s, Muhamad Zaki Muhamad Nordin, 19, Wan Aminudin Wan Hussin, in his 60s, a Thai national known only as Pokta, in his 50s and Ahmad Syafiq Che Alim, 30.

The three missing men are Arman Ismail, 43, Harun Daud, in his 60s, and Che Wadi Bakar, in his 40s while another 12 were confirmed to be safe.

-- BERNAMA