Richard being lifted into an ambulance and taken to the Sarawak General Hospital, after he arrived at the MMEA base in Muara Tebas. – Picture by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (Sept 17): A search and rescue (SAR) operation has been launched by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak for four men who are lost at sea after their fishing boat was believed to have capsized off Tanjung Po near Bako yesterday.
The fishermen, identified as the boat’s skipper Bong Fah Yew, 48, and his crew members, Adenan Senawi, 44, Harly Abdullah, 42, and Ani, whose full name and age could not be immediately ascertained, had left for sea at around 3pm on Wednesday.
Richard Chee, 38, a former Navy personnel who was a member of the crew, was rescued at around 9am today near Pulau Burung by a local fisherman after he was found floating inside a fish cooler box.
Sarawak Maritime Director First Maritime Admiral Robert Teh Geok Chuan said the SAR operation was activated by the Maritime Rescue Sub Center (MRSC) Kuching as soon as a report was received at 9.15pm.
“Their disappearance was notified by one of the victim’s wives after she failed to contact her husband’s mobile phone and she was worried that the vessel they boarded could have capsized in Tanjung Po Waters,” he said in a statement, today.
Richard was brought to the MMEA base in Muara Tebas at about 1.30pm, where he was reunited with his family before he was sent to the Sarawak General Hospital for a medical examination.
MMEA Senior Assistant Director (SAR and Disaster Management) Lt. Comm. Che Mohd Hafizudeen Che Mahadi told reporters that the fishing boat was believed to have capsized due to the severe weather conditions yesterday.
He said the SAR for the four would be intensified today with the involvement of assets from the Fire and Rescue Department, Civil Defence Department and the Marine Police.
He pointed out that among the assets was the Police Air Unit.
“We are also looking at a new search area within a radius of 20 nautical miles from the location where the vessel capsized and we will concentrate on the said area.
“We hope the weather is favourable today,” said Che Mohd Hafizudeen when met at MMEA’s jetty at the Tun Abang Salehuddin Maritime Complex (Komtas) this afternoon.
He also hoped that the victims are drifting towards the shore due to the sea’s current.
At the same time, he said the Maritime Rescue Sub Center Kuching will be operational around the clock until the remaining victims are found.
Meanwhile, Bong’s brother-in-law, Bong Shin Khun, expressed confidence that his wife’s brother was safe.
“He has gone out to sea for more than 20 years. It is his work. I hope he is save. He should know better. He has the skills and know how (to survive at sea),” he said when met at the jetty, adding that the boat belonged to Fah Yew.
Richard’s wife, Yanti Umpi, 33, revealed that she received a call from her husband at around 8pm to inform her that their vessel was sinking.
“He said not to worry as he was wearing a life jacket and he was using the cooler box to stay afloat. The phone then went silent and I could not reach him anymore,” she said.