ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 1 (Bernama) — Four staff of the Johor Fisheries Department who were reported missing yesterday, were found safe on their boat about one nautical mile off Pulau Kepalajerai, near Batam, Indonesia, this afternoon.
Johor State Maritime director First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said all of them were in good health when discovered by the Indonesian National Military (TNI) at 1.45 pm.
He said the staff were the Tanjung Sedili Base fisheries assistant Fatimah Razak, 36; and marine assistants Zaharin Baharudin, 33, Abd Halim Sanip, 52 and Mohd Marzuki Jusoh, 53.
“The boat they were on was believed to have suffered battery damage before drifting into the waters of the country (Indonesia) about 13 nautical miles from their last known location.
“We are in the process of bringing the boat home, which is currently being repaired by the TNI. The staff will be accompanied by the TNI during the handover process in Johor Barat waters today,” he told reporters at the Sungai Pulai Maritime Jetty here, today.
Johor Fisheries Director Zainudin Abd Wahab was also present.
Nurul Hizam at the same time expressed his appreciation to all the agencies involved including the TNI, the Indonesian Consulate General and the Singapore Consulate General, who also helped in the search and rescue (SAR) operation.
He said operation codenamed ‘Op Carilamat’ also officially ended at 2pm this afternoon.
Yesterday, the boat that left from Tanjung Pengelih, Pengerang at about 12.45 pm and scheduled to reach Pangkalan Tampoi, in Johor Bahru, at 6.30 pm, loss contact a few hours into the journey.
Earlier today, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said that the search and rescue (SAR) operation spanning 47 nautical miles was carried out using assets of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and aided by agencies from Singapore and Indonesia.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency