Missing tourist boat: I'm monitoring SAR developments closely, says Najib

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25 KUALA LUMPUR- Prime Minister Najib Razak attends question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat at 1000 (0200 GMT) KUALA LUMPUR- Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi chairs meeting of Cabinet Committee on Drug Eradication at 1045 (0245 GMT) KUALA LUMPUR- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah attend investiture at Istana Negara at 1100 (0300 GMT)

PETALING JAYA: Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak (pic) will monitor closely developments of the search and rescue (SAR) operation to locate the missing 28 China tourists and remaining crewman.

"Received a report that a ship with 31 passengers and crew are missing in Sabah. Search and rescue operations have been launched, I will monitor developments," the Prime Minister tweeted on Sunday afternoon.

The catamaran, with 31 on board, was reported missing at about 9.50pm on Saturday. It set off from Tanjung Aru at 9am on Saturday, on its 56km journey to Pulau Mengalum.

The skipper and a crewman of the catamaran were found safe in the waters between Pulau Tiga and the Samarang offshore petroleum platform at about 2pm Sunday.

The search is ongoing for the 28 China tourists and the remaining crewman.

Pulau Tiga is about 53km away from Pulau Mengalum and 50km from the Tanjung Aru jetty.