SANDAKAN – The Philippine nationals rescued by the Sandakan zone of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) after their ship broke down in the high seas last Saturday are grateful to the villagers of Kinabatangan for feeding them while they were stranded.
One of 15 victims on the ship, Karnahar A. Mayan, 41, shared her experience with The Vibes, saying that she had fallen asleep even after knowing that the ship’s engine encountered problems on Jan 6.
“There were seven trainers on the ship, including myself, while the rest were crewmen of the vessel.
“We left Bangao Island on January 6, and were heading to Taganak Island in the morning,” said Karnahar, who is a teaching staff member at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
The trip to Taganak Island was for the purpose of conducting livelihood training such as baking, carpentry, and wiring for eligible youths on the island.
“Around 11.30am, the crew told us that the ship’s engine was having problems, and that they were trying to fix it.
“The ship appeared to be stable, and the crew were busy, but were calm. So we did not panic.
We fell asleep in the evening. When I woke up, it was already the next morning (January 7) and we were still in the middle of the sea.
“The ship was not sinking, and everyone on the ship still appeared to be calm. So it did not cross my mind that I was going to die.
“We waited until the waters carried our ship to what seemed to be a coastal area. I did not know where I was.
“While we did not expect to be on the ship for so long, we stayed calm as the crew assured us that help was on the way.
“However, we were beginning to feel very uncomfortable and irritated. We were very tired and very hungry,” said Karnahar.
Karnahar said passengers aboard the ship slept for another night on the vessel, and were awakened by the crew members, who were talking to several men in the coastal area.
“They were fishermen. They approached us first, even before the crew called out for them, because they were curious to see a ship stranded there.
“They told us they were Malaysians, and that we were in the Kinabatangan area.
“We explained that we were waiting for help to come, and they quickly went back to their homes to get food and drinks for us. It had been two days since I last ate a heavy meal, so we were all very grateful for their kind assistance,” she said.
15 victims taken to Sandakan for Covid-19 screening, given accommodation and food
The MMEA had received a report of the missing vessel on January 7, but was only able to locate the vessel in Kinabatangan after the vessel had stopped moving on January 8.
The victims were rescued in the afternoon and were sent off to the Malaysia-Philippines border, where Marine Col Nestor Narag, director of the Philippines Maritime Coordinating Centres in Tawi-Tawi, received their return on January 10.
Sandakan MMEA deputy operations director Commander Ahmad Firdaus Shaari said following the rescue, the victims were brought to Sandakan to undergo Covid-19 screening, and were provided accommodation and food as well as other necessities.
Karnahar said she represents all the victims in thanking the MMEA for rescuing them, and for the good service that was provided thereafter.
“From my experience, I have found that not only the fishermen in Sabah were kind, but even the authority (MMEA) were also very accommodating. They would ask us if we needed anything from time to time. They really did a fantastic job.
“I am also very grateful to God that I survived this incident, and I am happy to be able to return home.” – The Vibes, January 15, 2022
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