Body of sixth victim in Bachok boat tragedy found

The body of a sixth victim in Monday's boat tragedy in Bachok waters was found floating 21 nautical miles from the Kuala Kemasin Fish Landing Jetty at 4.19 pm Thursday.

Bachok District Police Chief DSP Samsulmuddin Sulaiman said the victim was identified as Harun Daud, 57.

"We were alerted by fishermen who found a body floating at sea, and maritime personnel who arrived at the location around 4.50 pm confirmed it.

"The victim, who is from Padang Tok La, Pasir Mas, was identified by his son at 7 pm, upon arrival at the jetty," he told reporters at the scene.

He said the identification was made based on the clothes worn by the victim before the incident and inspection on the body also found a wallet containing his identity card and a mobile phone.

"The body was sent to the Raja Perempuan Zainab II Hospital in Kota Bharu for post mortem, So far, another two victims, Arman Ismail, 43, and Che Wadi Bakar, in his 40s, are still missing. The search and rescue operation will resume tomorrow morning," said Samsulmuddin.

In the 8 pm incident in Monday, a boat carrying 20 anglers including a skipper and crew capsized following a storm at about 10 nautical miles from the Kuala Kemasin Base Jetty.

Besides Harun, the five who died in the tragic incident were Ahmad Syafiq Che Alim, 30, 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.

-- BERNAMA