An MMEA plotting the search pattern on a map and the SAR forward base in Kemaman. - Photo: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The search and rescue (SAR) operation for the two remaining victims of the fishing boat collision incident in the waters off Kemaman resumed at 7am on Monday (Aug 12).
The two missing victims are Yusof Kassam, 66, from Raub, Pahang, and Aina Husna Mohamad Husaini, 25, from Selayang, Selangor.
Kemaman Maritime Zone deputy operations director Muhammad Faisal Abdul Rahim said today's operation involves 25 personnel from various agencies and the deployment of three maritime and two aerial assets.
"The three maritime assets belong to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), the Royal Malaysia Police, and the Royal Malaysian Navy. The aerial assets comprised a helicopter owned by the Fire and Rescue Department and a Bombardier belonging to MMEA.
"Today's search area has been expanded to 262 square miles, with 195 square miles allocated for the air sector and 67 square miles for the sea sector," he told reporters at the SAR forward base at the Kemaman MMEA Maritime Zone on Monday.
He said the search was expected to proceed smoothly with normal wave heights of 0.5m to 1m and winds blowing from the southwest at around 10 to 15 knots.
He added that the second day of the SAR operation was focused on the waters off Kemaman and Kijal, not far from where the second body, that of assistant tekong Shahril Ismail, 50, was found on Sunday (Aug 11).
In the incident, which occurred at about 6.30am on Sunday (Aug 11), the fishing boat carrying nine people capsized after being struck by a barge approximately seven nautical miles or 13km off Kuala Kemaman.
Two people, identified as Siti Zamimah Mohman Zobini, 29, and Shahril, drowned in the incident while Yusof and Aina Husna are still missing. The other five individuals were rescued.
Muhammad Faisal said that authorities were still tracking the barge involved to assist in the investigation. – Bernama
