Search continues for missing foreign divers

MERSING: The search and rescue (SAR) operation to locate three foreign scuba divers who went missing in the waters off Pulau Tokong Sanggol, near here, since Wednesday, continued today.

Mersing Maritime Zone director Maritime Commander Khairul Nizam Misran said the operation, which entered the third day, started at 3 am.

He said the agencies involved in the operation were the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), Marine Police Force, Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), Royal Malaysian Navy, Special Service Group (GGK) Iskandar Camp Mersing, Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and Malaysian Civil Defence Force.

"Today's operation started at 3 am involving Perkasa 31 maritime boat, five GGK boats and marine police boats in the southern part of Sedili waters covering some 335.79 square nautical miles.

"Meanwhile, the air search sector covering 739.64 square nautical miles involves four air assets," he told reporters at the search and rescue operation forward base at the Mersing District Council Public Jetty here.

Yesterday, Norwegian diving coach Kristine Grodem, one of the four foreign divers, was found floating, complete with her diving suit and equipment by a tugboat heading to Thailand from Indonesia at 8.15 am.

The efforts to locate the missing trio - British national Adrian Peter Chesters, 46, his 14-year-old son Nathen Renze Chesters who is a Dutch national and French woman Alexia Alexandra Molina, 18, - continue today.

-- BERNAMA