CHUKAI: The search and rescue operation (SAR) for two fishermen who went missing after their boat capsized during a storm in the waters of Kemaman near here on Wednesday (June 10) continued on Saturday (June 13) with the assistance of a helicopter.
Kemaman Maritime Zone director Abdul Halim Hamzah said the search for Azan Muda, 68, and Nordin Mohammad, 61, which entered its third day, was expanded to cover 127.1 nautical miles and focused on Kemaman waters till Kuala Terengganu.
"Operations on Saturday were conducted in good weather conditions with wind speeds of under 10km an hour and waves of less than 0.5m.
"A total of 57 people, including officers and personnel from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), police, Fire Dept and civilians are involved in the search,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
A Fire and Rescue Department AW139 helicopter was used for an air search, along with two MMEA boats, a police boat and two civilian boats, he added.
Azan and Nordin were in their fishing boat together with Mahadi Jusoh, 51, when it capsized during a storm shortly after midnight Wednesday.
Mahadi was rescued by a passing fishing vessel at about 10.30am later that day. — Bernama
