Families Grateful After Missing Fishermen Found Safe

BALIK PULAU, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- The families of fishermen Muhammad Ikmal Hakimi Ismail and Nor Hasrul Abdullah, who were reported missing after their boat was reported to have drifted in the waters off Kerachut, Kuala Sungai Pinang here, are grateful that they have been safely found in the Acheh waters, Indonesia today.

Muhammad Ikmal's father, Ismail Ibrahim, 51, said he was contacted by police at about 10 am today informing him that his son and Nor Hasrul have been found safe in the waters off Acheh.

"Allahuakhbar (God is great), that's all I could say. At the same time, I thanked Allah when I received news that they were safe and we were told that the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) is on its way to bring them home.

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 "We wish to thank everyone who helped in the search operation and rescued them,” he said when contacted here today.

Muhammad Ikmal's mother, 47-year-old Hanita Ismail said she had an instinct right from the start that her son, the fourth of five siblings, was alive.

"That's is a mother's instinct. We truly thank Allah for answering our prayers,” she said.

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Meanwhile, Nor Hasrul's 38-year-old stepfather, Mohamad Fitri Badiuzzaman said the whole family is grateful after being told that he (Nor Hasrul) had been found safe and looking forward to his return.

"Alhamdulillah, Allah heard our prayers… we are truly grateful and extremely happy… this is the happiest day for us,” he said.

Earlier, Barat Daya district police chief ACP Sazalee Adam said that Muhammad Ikmal, 22, and Nor Hasrul, 25, who were reported missing on Dec 16, had been found safe in the Acheh waters today.

Sazalee said the MMEA is making efforts to bring them home and they are expected to arrive at the Batu Maung Jetty here early tomorrow morning.

Yesterday, Sazalee said the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the two fishermen was called off at 5 pm after five days of searching yielded no new findings or clues despite the operation covering an area of 4,802 nautical miles, or 8,884 square kilometres.

-- BERNAMA