MUKAH: No new leads have surfaced on the whereabouts of a missing fisherman six days into the search and rescue (SAR) operation.
Wong Ikkong, a local, was reported missing after the fishing boat he was in capsized on Sept 20.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Bintulu Zone director Captain Mohd Khairol Anuar Saad said as of noon on Tuesday, the weather held but the sea was slightly choppy.
He added that the search covered 167.25 square nautical miles and focused around the Kampung Tirah Mukah coast, bringing the overall search area to 1,107.37 square nautical miles.
Some 39 rescuers from various agencies, including local fishermen and the victim’s family, are taking part in the operation in five boats.
The search operation will continue today (Sept 27).
On Sept 20, a fishing boat carrying 11 passengers including the skipper, crew and anglers, capsized around 8.30pm, some 34 nautical miles northwest of Mukah.
The first two individuals were found and rescued by MT Cappela on Wednesday (Sept 21) and according to them, they had departed from PENAKUB jetty, Mukah on Sept 19 to fish at sea.
Later on Sept 22, eight victims were found by the rescuers, six of them alive and two others dead.
Mohd Khairol disclosed that the survivors are crew members Lingsan Spawi and Anuar Spawi, and fishermen Wong Chiang Hie Lewis Yung Koh Ing, Chieng Hock Hung, Wang Ting Ping, Chong Fei Foo and Lee Sie Soon.
Meanwhile, the victims who were found dead, were identified as skipper Sabli Jun and fisherman Wong Siaw Tiang.
