GEORGE TOWN: Two friends who were reported missing while out fishing by boat near Pulau Kendi on Sunday night (Aug 17) have been found safe early Monday.
Penang Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Maritime Captain Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramli said both men, aged 34 and 64, were found in stable condition at 3am with their boat anchored 15 nautical miles west of the island.
He said MMEA had earlier received a report on the missing men at 10.30pm and immediately deployed assets to begin a search operation around their last known coordinates.
"The two men were supposed to return home on Sunday after going out fishing at 10am the same day. However, on Sunday night, they could not be contacted and were feared missing at sea," he said in a statement on Monday.
He said further checks revealed that the fishing boat had an engine failure, preventing them from returning home.
Both men, who were in good health, were given initial assistance before their boat was restarted and escorted back to the Batu Maung Shipyard Jetty by enforcement officers.
"Penang MMEA expresses its gratitude for the prompt information provided and urges the fishing community to equip themselves with safety gear such as a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB), as early action can save lives in maritime emergencies," he said. - Bernama
