Last memory: Khatijah (right) and Nur Syaza (left) showing the final photo of Mohd Saiful (pic, below), taken a few days before he was reported missing. — Bernama
BATU PAHAT: The dish of prawns he caught and fried for a family lunch last Friday has become a final cherished memory.
Fisherman Mohd Saiful Azli Ahmad was reported missing while catching prawns later that day.
The remains of the 45-year-old were found by rescue personnel early yesterday.
His mother, Khatijah Rahindi, 74, said her son had a deep fondness for using prawns in various dishes and often took pride in cooking for the family.
She said those simple meals, lovingly prepared by the eldest of her three children, would be dearly missed by the family.
Khatijah said she never imagined that day would be their final meeting before Mohd Saiful went out to check prawn traps he had set in the waters of Sungai Dulang.
She said her son, who was usually cheerful and affectionate, appeared unusually quiet on the fateful day.
However, the family did not suspect anything amiss until Mohd Saiful failed to return home as he normally would.
“We made every effort, including praying together as a family until midnight.
“We are grateful however that my son’s body was found,” she said when met at the Forensic Department of Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital here yesterday, Bernama reported.
The victim’s sister, Nur Syaza Lina Ahmad, 40, said that the only words she was able to utter were “glory be to God” when her brother’s body was found in Sungai Sarang Burung at 9.16am, about 2km from the location where he was reported missing.
Nur Syaza said she was present during the identification process and had been visiting the search area daily to obtain updates on the search and rescue operation.
Another fisherman was also reported to be missing along with Mohd Saiful.
“I am grateful that my brother was found as various challenges were faced throughout the search operations.
“At one point, I feared that he might have drifted to another location and become difficult to locate,” she said.
Nur Syaza added that her brother’s remains were expected to be laid to rest at the Sungai Tongkang Muslim cemetery, next to the grave of their late grandmother.
Batu Pahat OCPD Asst Comm Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said that efforts to locate another fisherman, Mohd Fadzli Misran, 41, are still being actively carried out by various rescue agencies.
