Families Cling To Hope For Safe Return Of Two Fishermen Missing In Kemaman

CHUKAI, July 12 (Bernama) -- The families of two fishermen feared missing after their boat is believed to have sunk in the waters of Kemaman, about 27.9 nautical miles from here, during a storm on Wednesday, are still holding on to hope that both will be found safe. 

The missing fishermen are skipper Azan Muda, 68, and Nordin Mohammad, 61, while another fisherman, Mahadi Jusoh, 51, was found safe by other fishermen at about 10.30 am yesterday.

Azan’s wife, Salma Abdullah, 65, said she believes her husband, who has been a fisherman since the age of 13 and previously worked as a deep-sea boat diver, would be able to save himself after his boat sank around 12.30 am on Wednesday.

“I feel that they are safe. If Allah grants them a long life, they will be found,” she said when met at her home in Kampung Geliga here today. 

Salma said her husband had left for the sea at 11 am on Tuesday after she finished reciting the Quran. 

Salma said she was shocked when one of her children informed her at 4 pm yesterday that her husband was missing at sea. 

She said her husband would usually go out to sea for three days and two nights, although he sometimes returned later due to technical issues such as engine problems. 

“At about 11 am yesterday, I tried calling my husband after noticing he was late in returning, but there was no answer. I did not suspect anything bad had happened until one of my children informed me of the incident,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Nor Azizah Rani, 45, Nordin’s wife, also expressed hope that her husband would be found safe. 

“The last time I saw him was on Tuesday morning before he went out to sea. Usually, when he is at sea, I rarely contact him due to the lack of coverage,” she said.

Nor Azizah said her husband had been working as a crew on Azan’s boat for the past six months and previously worked as a crew member on several boats in Kuala Dungun and Kuala Paka. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, Kemaman Maritime Zone director Abdul Halim Hamzah said 24 personnel from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) are involved in the search and rescue (SAR) operation for the two missing fishermen. 

He said MMEA has deployed the Penggalang 16 and KM Bagahak vessels in the operation. 

“The SAR operation resumed at 7 am today after being temporarily suspended at 9 pm yesterday,” he said. 

However, the missing victims have yet to be found.

-- BERNAMA