Spaniards, two others arrive at KK airport

KOTA KINABALU: The four people who went missing at sea arrived here Friday to hugs and kisses from their families as their 10-day ordeal finally drew to a close.

Spaniard Martha Miguel was seen waving from a window of the Maritime Malaysia Bombardier 415 aircraft as it touched down at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport here at 9.20am.

Martha, 30 along with husband David Hernandez Gasulla as well as Tanjung Simpang Mengayau resort owner Tommy Lam Wai Yin, 44, waved and smiled as they disembarked from the aircraft.

However, resort worker Armella Ali Hassan, 23, appeared frail as she stepped down from the aircraft.

Martha being whisked away on a stretcher at the Kota Kinabalu airport.

She was immediately placed on a stretcher and along with Martha, David and Tommy were later were whisked away to a private medical centre for a check up.

Among those at the airport to greet them were David’s mother Liz and brother Javier, Martha’s sister Laura and their uncle Miguel Reiz.

Malaysian Maritime Enforce­ment Agency (MMEA) Sabah and Labuan regional director First Admiral Mohd Zubil Mat Som flew back with the four from Layang Layang where they had received their initial medical check up and treatment by paramedics after they were rescued.

Malaysian vessel KM Bestari picked up the four from the two Vietnamese fishing boats which were anchored at Amboyna Cay in Vietnam’s side of the disputed Spratly Islands waters. At 6pm Thursday, they were on their way back.

The four were reported missing on May 2 while on a two-hour boat ride from Pulau Balambangan to Simpang Mengayau in Sabah’s northern Kudat district.