Capsized boat victim's father hopes that boat can be found

CHUKAI, Aug 13 (Bernama) -- Mohamad Husaini Ayub, the father of a missing victim of a boat that capsized in Kemaman’s waters, is hoping that the boat can be found before the search and rescue operations ends tomorrow.

The 60-year-old man believes that his daughter, Aina Husna, 25, is trapped in an enclosed space in the boat due to the recollections of a survivor who related that she was sleeping in the space and might have been unable to swim up to save herself when the boat capsized.

‘My only hope is so that what remains of the capsized boat can be found. My instincts tell me that Aina is trapped there.

“If she’s not in the boat, I want to see with my own eyes to confirm there’s no body there… for my own peace of mind,” he said when met at the Kemaman Maritime Zone forward base here today.

He related that he and his relatives have been holding prayers so that his daughter can be found quickly, but admitted that he and his wife, Haziyah Harun, 63, will be willing to accept the situation if their daughter is not found as they are satisfied with the search conducted by the authorities. 

“At the same time, I’m also grateful for my wife and my other daughter, Ain Farhana, 30, who survived the ordeal. We will continue praying as a last resort,” Mohamad Husaini said.

The fishing vessel carrying nine anglers and a skipper capsized after being hit by a barge on Sunday.

Five of the nine victims were saved, two dead victims have been recovered, while another two victims, Aina Husna and Yusof Kassam, 66, are still missing.          

 -- BERNAMA