Search Radius For Missing Fisherman In Pengerang Waters Expanded

KOTA TINGGI, Feb 2 (Bernama) -- The search and rescue operation for a fisherman reported missing after the boat he was on capsized, believed to have been struck by another vessel in waters off Pengerang here yesterday, has been expanded to cover a two-nautical-mile radius from the incident site.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone acting director, Maritime Commander Mohd Najib Sam, said efforts to locate the victim, Mustaffa Hussain, 55, are ongoing with the deployment of multiple assets, but no clues have been found so far.

“The victim and his Indonesian worker, identified as Khairul, 32, were on a fibreglass boat when it was hit from behind at about 10 pm.

“Both were thrown into the sea following the collision, but Khairul managed to cling to the boat and was rescued by the Marine Police Force (PPM),” he said in a statement tonight.

He said the incident was reported to have occurred about 1.2 nautical miles southwest of Tanjung Setapa.

Mohd Najib urged members of the public and the maritime community with information on the incident to contact the 999 emergency line or the Tanjung Sedili Maritime Zone Operations Centre at 07-891 6591.

Earlier, Kota Tinggi District Police Chief Superintendent Yusof Othman said his department received information on the incident from the victim’s wife.

He said personnel from PPM Region Two Pengerang and the MMEA were immediately deployed to the location upon receiving the report.

-- BERNAMA