SANDAKAN:Two fishermen are reported missing after the trawler boat they were on with two others capsized and sank in the Kuala Meruap waters here early yesterday morning.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sandakan Zone director Captain Zainudin Mohd Zuki said a search and rescue (SAR) operation was activated at 7 pm after the boat was reported to have capsized in rough sea conditions while they were out fishing at about 4 am yesterday.

"The missing fishermen are skipper Andi Manso, 40 and Sindora, 42, who are both Indonesian nationals," he said in a statement today.

Zainuddin said the other two, identified as Adrian @ Agus Bahtiar, 45, and Indonesian, and Oyong @ Herman, 35, a Filipino, were rescued by passing local fishermen at about 6.30 am.

He said the incident occurred two days after a tugboat called "Ever Winner", carrying four crew members, including its captain, was believed to have capsized in the waters off Kuala Kinabatangan Besar in the early morning of Jan 13. It is understood that the tugboat had been towing a barge called "Ever Eternity" (which also capsized), with one crew member, from Kinabatangan to Sandakan.

One crew member of the tugboat as well as the barge crew member were found safe while the SAR operation is still being carried out for the three other missing tugboat crew members, including its captain.

Meanwhile, Zainuddin said local residents found the body of a man floating around Pulau Tambisan early this morning.

He said the MMEA patrol vessel KM Serasan arrived at the location at 11.30 am to take the body to the Sandakan Maritime Zone Jetty.

He said the body would be handed over to the police for autopsy and identification.

-- BERNAMA