KUALA LUMPUR – Neighbouring nations have joined efforts to locate a Johor Fisheries Department boat that was reported missing yesterday en route to Pangkalan Tampoi in Johor Baru from Pengerang.
Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby here today, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Mohamad Sabu said that search-and-rescue operations have since commenced with the help of manpower from Singapore and Indonesia.
“Search-and-rescue operations are being led by APMM (Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency) and involve our marine police, Singapore’s police operations command centre, and Indonesia’s national search and rescue body,” he said.
He added that while authorities have yet to determine the cause of the boat’s disappearance, it is possible that it was hit by bad weather.
“There is a possibility that (the boat was) swept away by strong currents since it was raining heavily in the southern areas of Johor yesterday.
“The boat could also have experienced damage while traversing our local waters or international territory,” he said, listing the four victims involved in the incident.
The four crew members are commanding officer Fatimah Razak, 36, Zaharin Baharudin, 37, Halim Sanip, 52, and Marzuki Jusuh, 53.
Earlier this morning, state maritime director Nurul Hizam Zakaria said a report on the missing boat was lodged with the Johor Baru Maritime Rescue Sub Centre at 7.51pm yesterday.
He said the boat with the number PL87 could not be contacted and failed to be traced after departing from Tg Pengelih in Pengerang at about 12.45pm yesterday. It was scheduled to arrive at Pangkalan Tampoi at 6.30pm the same day. – The Vibes, March 1, 2023
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