MERSING – The skipper of a boat boarded by four foreign divers who were reported missing after a diving exercise to Pulau Tokong Sanggol here has been detained after he tested positive for drugs.
Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat said the man, in his 20s, was initially called in to give his statement.
“We conducted a urine test and found he tested positive for drugs. We will detain him until our investigation is completed,” he told reporters at Pangkalan Hadapan Carilamat (PHC) at the Mersing District Council public jetty here.
Kamarul Zaman said the boat skipper was detained at the Mersing district police headquarters at about 11.30pm yesterday and is being investigated under Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
When asked if there was an element of negligence in the incident involving the foreign divers, Kamarul Zaman said his team was investigating all aspects.
“We will investigate in terms of their diving equipment, the dive centre and so on. A forensic team will be arriving. If there is misconduct and so on, we will investigate as well,” he added.
Earlier, Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi inspected the PHC to obtain latest development on the search and rescue for the missing divers.
A total of 90 members and officers from various agencies, including 30 divers along with 18 boats and two helicopters, are being mobilised in the SAR operation. The search, which entered the second day, will cover an area of 107 nautical miles radius.
At noon yesterday, four foreign divers went missing after diving off Pulau Tokong Sanggol, about nine nautical miles from Tg Leman here. – Bernama, April 7, 2022
