KLANG: The search area for two anglers reported missing at One Fathom Bank near Pulau Ketam has been expanded to cover 1,366.2 square nautical miles, extending to the waters off Lumut, Perak.
Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) operations officer Lieutenant Mohd Syafiq Sazali said the search and rescue (SAR) operation entered its fourth day on Thursday (Sept 17), with several enforcement agencies resuming the operation at 7am.
He said the search covered both sea and air operations, involving the KM Nusa maritime vessel, a CL415MP aircraft and three patrol boats, including one operated by the marine police.
"The sea search involving KM Nusa covers 101.2 square nautical miles in the waters off Bagan Datuk, while three boats are searching an area of 449 square nautical miles between One Fathom Bank and Tanjong Karang.
"The air search covers an area of 816 square nautical miles, stretching from the Selangor border to Lumut," he told reporters at the SAR forward base at Sementa Jetty here.
"The operation, involving 38 personnel, is continuing with the cooperation of the police, the Fire and Rescue Department and the Malaysian Civil Defence Force. It is also being assisted by the National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) in Pekanbaru, Indonesia, to locate the victims in the waters along the country's border," he said.
He said the operation is expected to be suspended at 7pm on Thursday and resume on Friday.
On Monday, the Selangor MMEA launched a SAR operation after receiving a report that seven anglers were missing at One Fathom Bank at 3.35am.
On the second day of the SAR, four of them were found safe in the waters off Sekinchan and taken to Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang and Banting Hospital for treatment.
On Wednesday, police confirmed that the body of Mohd Shahril Abd Rahman, 43, was found in the waters off Hutan Melintang, Perak, while the two others still missing are Muhamad Ridzuan Ruhaizat, 37, and Raja Mohd Rozi Raja Mohamad, 49. - Bernama
