KUALA TERENGGANU: The search and rescue (SAR) operation for Turkiye national Eser Demirkol, who went missing after the yacht Daisy capsized in waters off Pulau Yu here, has entered its fifth day.
Terengganu Maritime director Maritime Capt Hamiludin Che Awang said the search resumed at about 9am on Monday (Aug 4) with the help of nine members of the Malaysian Maritime Diving Squadron.
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He said the clear weather and relatively calm sea conditions allowed the diving team to expand the search area.
"Yesterday (Sunday, Aug 3), the diving team surveyed the location of the yacht using remotely operated equipment, but no positive clues were found.
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"The area of the search area yesterday was about 500sq m at a position 5.12 nautical miles from Pulau Yu," he said in a statement.
It was reported earlier that three men – yacht captain Ahmet Volkan Ata, 52, Ates Demiroren, 42, and Demirkol, 52 – had embarked on a sailing expedition to return to their home country of Turkiye on Monday (July 28).
However, on Tuesday (July 29) evening, the yacht was reportedly hit by a storm and capsized in the waters near Pulau Yu.
Demiroren was rescued by local fishermen at noon on Thursday (July 31), while Volkan Ata was found safe later that same night by another local fishing boat after having been adrift for over 40 hours. – Bernama
