KEPALA BATAS: Three fishermen who were reported missing at sea yesterday were rescued by a trawler boat after more than 24 hours drifting at sea.
Afzanizul Zakaria, 44, Ruzaini Saad, 43, and Muhammad Firdaus Shamsudin, 34, went fishing at 5am and were supposed to return at Sungai Tembus Fisherman's Jetty in Penaga here by noon on Sunday when their boat ran out of fuel.
Then the men drifted at sea off Langkawi, Kedah, and survived on water.
Recalling the incident, Afzanizul said they were preparing to return to the shore before their boat ran out of fuel. Since they had been at sea for seven hours, their food supply had also ran out at the time.
"There were no other boats nearby. We prayed hard to be able to return safely to our families in Penaga.
"While adrift, there was a storm at sea that (Sunday) night. We sought shelter inside the boat, praying that the boat would not overturn due to strong waves.
"Alhamdulillah, the trawler boat saw us yesterday and came to our aid. They helped us until we returned to the jetty today," he said when met.
Ruzaini said as soon as they were rescued, they were given food and drink by the crew.
"They also provided us with fuel so that we could return to the jetty today. We tried contacting our friends, but there was no mobile reception," he said, adding this was the first time that he experienced drifting at sea in his 10 years as fisherman.
Seberang Prai Utara district police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Radzi Ahmad, who was at the jetty, said the trio were in Teluk Bahang waters before their boat ran out of fuel. It then drifted to the waters of Langkawi.
He said the three fishermen raised the red flag when they saw the trawler boat from Tanjung Dawai which was in the area about 7pm yesterday.
"The trawler boat pulled the trio's fishing boat to Pulau Bidan in the Yan district in Kedah, where all of them rested before they were given three drums of fuel to their home.
"The trio, who arrived at the jetty here at 10.30am today, were taken to the Kepala Batas Hospital for medical examination," he added.
In a separate incident, Penang Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency director, Captain Maritime Abd Razak Mohamed said the remains of a Thai skipper who was reported missing at sea yesterday, was found near Pulau Kendi today.
Two other crew members were rescued when their boat capsized.
He said the remains of Sorawit Thapchaiyut, who was found stuck in a net near the boat, were taken to the Penang Hospital for post-mortem.