Search and rescue for the missing Mega Jaya 2 tugboat and its crewmen enters its third day.
KOTA KINABALU (May 24): Search and rescue operation (SAR) for three missing crewmen after their tugboat is believed to have capsized 35 nautical miles off the coast of Pulau Mantanani on May 22, continued on Tuesday with no sign of them.
A statement from the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) stated that the SAR which entered the third day, had been divided into three sectors and spanned a distance of up to 339 nautical miles.
As of press time, the three crewmen, identified as Wilson Paul Joseph, 31, Ling Chung Siong, 24, and Yee Lih Min, 22, have still not been found.
It was learned that the Mega Jaya 2 tugboat was captained by Wilson, while Ling and Yee were the able seaman and boat engineer respectively.
Mega Jaya 2 was reported missing when the owner failed to make contact with the vessel on Sunday.
An SAR operation was immediately launched which included MMEA, the Royal Malaysian Police and the Royal Malaysian Navy.
It is also learned that the boat owner is a family member to one of the missing crewmen.