KUALA LUMPUR – British diver Adrian Peter Chesters and French national Alexia Alexandra Molina, who went missing at Pulau Tokong Sanggol last Wednesday, were found safe early today.
Mersing police chief Cyril Edward Nuing said they were found by local fishermen at a location south of Pengerang, near Kota Tinggi, at about 1am, who then informed the authorities.
He said the two victims were then sent to a private hospital in Pasir Gudang by the Region Two Marine Police, reported Bernama.
“Both victims are now in hospital for further treatment and both are reported to be in stable condition. Another victim has not been found and we are intensifying our search-and-rescue efforts,” he told reporters at the Carilamat base set up at the Mersing district council public jetty here today.
The fourth person in their group, Norwegian diving instructor Kristine Grodem, 35, was found safe on Thursday.
The missing victim is Chesters’ son, Nathen Renze Chesters, 14, who is from the Netherlands.
They were all scuba diving together off Pulau Tokong Sanggol, nine nautical miles from the mainland, on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) confirmed in a statement later this morning that there has thus far been no trace of Nathen.
Maritime commander Khairul Nizam Misran said that Ops Carilamat, as the search-and rescue mission is named, is actively looking for the youngster, with the search today focused on waters off the southeastern part of the Johor coast to the deep seas further out in Malaysia’s southern marine territory.
The operation began again with the first break of light at 7am, with 85 people on duty.
Two light aeroplanes flown by MMEA and police, and nine boats operated by marine police, the army’s special forces, and the navy have been deployed. They are being assisted by other agencies and the local fishermen’s community.
On April 7, Johor police said that the skipper of the boat boarded by the divers was detained after he tested positive for drugs. The man in his 20s is being investigated under Section 15(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
Police added that they are investigating all aspects of the incident, including the possibility of negligence and any problems with the diving equipment and the dive centre. – The Vibes, April 9, 2022
