Two Brunei Darussalam assets have been deployed to join 13 vessels and five aircraft in the search for six people missing after a catamaran carrying 28 Chinese tourists and three crew capsized off Sabah on Saturday.
The S92 helicopter of the Brunei authorities and KDB Bakti vessel of the Royal Brunei Navy are helping in the search that has been extended to cover 2,400 sq nautical miles of sea, said a statement issued by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA).
Twenty tourists and two crew have been rescued and three tourists have been found dead after the catamaran capsized at about 10am on Saturday when it was hit by strong winds and high waves an hour after leaving the Tanjung Aru jetty here for Pulau Mengalum, a tourist destination 56km northwest of Kota Kinabalu.
The search was originally confined to 400 sq nautical miles but it was extended to 1,400 sq nautical miles, after 25 of the victims were found in Semarang waters near Labuan yesterday, and then to 2,400 sq nautical miles.
The MMEA has deployed five vessels, namely KM Adil, KM Berani, KM Mabul, Kilat 40 and Kilat 23, and two aircraft - a Bombardier plane and an AW139 helicopter.
The Royal Malaysian Navy has sent four vessels, namely KD Ganas, KD Serang, CB 203 andCB 204, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force has sent a C130 aircraft.
The Marine Police has deployed four vessels, namely PA 12, RH 29, RH 51 and PSC 1, and the Air Unit, two helicopters - 9M-PHH and 9M-PHK. -- Bernama
Bernama
Mon Jan 30 2017
Twenty tourists and two crew have been rescued and three tourists have been found dead after the catamaran capsized at about 10am on Saturday.
Millions in Cuba still without power as major outage persists
Millions of Cubans remain without electricity because of a prolonged outage at the main power plants on the island, Anadolu Agency reported.
Surge in Gaza violence increases famine risk, monitor says
About 1.84 million people across the besieged Palestinian enclave are living through high levels of acute food insecurity.
Israel pounds Beirut and Gaza after rockets hit Israel's north
A drone was launched at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's holiday home.
Elon Musk promises to award $1 mil each day to a signer of his petition
He awarded a $1 million check to an attendee of his event in Pennsylvania aimed at rallying supporters behind Donald Trump.
Former special forces commander Prabowo to take up Indonesian presidency
Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto will take over as president of the world's third-largest democracy after sweeping the country's election with policies like free meals for school children
Father of Malaysian Islamic banking, Abdul Halim Ismail passes away
His dedication and pioneering spirit played an important role in shaping the journey of Bank Islam as well as leaving a lasting impact on the development of Malaysia's Islamic finance industry.
Zayn Malik postpones US tour dates after One Direction bandmate Liam Payne's death
Payne, 31, died on Wednesday after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band.
Why voters in a handful of swing states will decide the US presidential election
The contest will almost certainly be decided by just tens of thousands of voters a tiny fraction of the populace in a handful of states.
INSIGHT - Sudan's war risks 'lost generation' of children
A devastating crisis is unfolding in Sudan, where the most vulnerable members of society children are bearing the brunt of the violence.
Who is Prabowo Subianto, incoming president of Indonesia?
A wealthy ex-general with ties to Indonesia's popular outgoing president and its dictatorial past, looks set to be its next leader.
Trump says he would impose tariffs on China if China went into Taiwan
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said he would impose additional tariffs on China if China were to "go into Taiwan,"
Iran's supreme leader says Hamas leader's death will not halt 'Axis of Resistance'
The "Axis of Resistance", built up with years of Iranian support, includes Hamas, the Lebanese Hezbollah group, the Houthi movement in Yemen, and various Shi'ite groups in Iraq and Syria.
Putin says Russia willing to seek compromises between Iran and Israel
Russia is ready to help seek compromises between arch-foes Israel and Iran, President Vladimir Putin said on Friday, saying these would be difficult but possible.
What proposals will Russia push at the BRICS summit?
The proposal is also to establish a BRICS reinsurance company to allow uninterrupted shipment of goods and key commodities between members.
Indonesia's free meals plan in the spotlight as Prabowo readies for office
Prabowo calls the programme one of the main drivers of economic growth, eventually set to add an estimated 2.5 million jobs.
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.