BESUT – Five local fishermen have gone missing after what police suspect is a capsized boat incident in Pulau Perhentian waters off Terengganu yesterday.
Besut district police chief Spt Abdul Rozak Muhammad said the incident was believed to have occurred at about 1pm, after the boat sprang a leak in stormy sea.
“A search and rescue operation was immediately launched by Tok Bali maritime and Pulau Perhentian police personnel after a report was received at 7.45pm but both the crew and boat have yet to be located,” he said.
He said it was learnt that the skipper managed to send an SOS to another fishing boat on his location near Kelantan and Pulau Perhentian waters and that they were in distress as the boat was taking in water.
However, the skipper could not be contacted after that, he added.
Those missing are skipper Tuan Azaha Tengku Long @ Mansor, 46, and his son Mat Rizal, 21, from Kampung Tebing Tinggi, Pasir Puteh, Kelantan; Mamat, 24, from Tok Bali, Kelantan; Sakri, 30, from Pasir Puteh, Kelantan; and Ujang, 30, from Penarik, Setiu. – Bernama, January 1, 2021
