KUCHING: Five anglers and three crew members have been found safe after their boat was reported missing in Kuching waters since yesterday.
Kuching district police chief, Assistant Commissioner Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah, said the boat was located earlier today and was towed back to the Semariang Batu jetty, arriving at 5.25pm.
"At 1.45pm today, a friend of the group of anglers managed to contact them," he said.
"The fishing boat was found 38 nautical miles northwest of Belawai, and all three crew members and five anglers were safe," he said in a statement tonight.
Mohd Farhan said the report of the missing fishing boat was lodged at 3.46pm yesterday by the son of one of the anglers.
"In the report, the complainant said that the group had gone out to sea at 9am on Oct 29 aboard a fishing boat with registration number QKH 9848 Z and was expected to return on the evening of Oct 31.
"However, they did not return yesterday, prompting a police report and the activation of a SAR operation involving the police, the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and the Royal Malaysian Air Force," he said, adding that the search extended to the Paloh waters in Belawai, Mukah division.
He added that the boat encountered engine trouble on its return journey on Oct 31, causing it to drift at sea.
The individuals were identified as Husin Ayub, 67; Samarin Sharkawi, 33; Mohamad Haikal Sharkawi, 17; Mohd Azizi Hamzi, 17; Dahlan Ramli, 41; Hasrin Ismail, 53; Johari Bujang, 51; and Abdullah Ajek, 56.