Boat tragedy: Search for missing anglers enters fifth day

The search-and-rescue (SAR) operations to locate two 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, resumed at 7 a.m. today.

Kelantan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Captain Muhd Nur Syam Asmawie Yaacob, who is also the operations commander, said that the search on the fifth day today will be expanded to a radius of 400 square nautical miles from where the boat was found.

He said the SAR operations today involved 81 officers and personnel from various agencies with the help of local fishermen.

“The search today will focus on the surface of the sea and will begin from where the sixth victim was found last night. It will also be moved further towards Pulau Perhentian.

“The SAR team will use 10 assets belonging to MMEA to locate the two victims identified as Arman Ismail, 43, and Che Wadi Bakar, in his 40s,” he said when contacted by Bernama here today.

The six 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, Ahmad Syafiq Che Alim, 30, and Harun Daud, 57, while 12 others survived.

-- BERNAMA