KUCHING: Search agencies expect to find the bodies of five fishermen reported missing at sea after their boat sank in the waters of Karang Berumput – Tukun Bass Santubong on October 3.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Sarawak director Zin Azman Md Yunus said based on his experience, dead bodies tend to float on water surfaces after being submerged for five days and onwards.

He pointed out that it was a similar case with the finding of Awang Omar Awang Hamsawi’s body on Wednesday (Oct 6), five days after he was reported missing when his boat capsized on October 2.

“We can expect that there is a possibility of a body emerging on the fifth day today (Oct 7).

“If the body appears in one place, then it is likely that the others will be found in its vicinity as well,” he told a press conference at the Telaga Air Jetty SAR control post.

Zin Azman said the search had covered an area of 526 nautical miles of waters involving various agencies and the local maritime community, with a total of 110 personnel involved.

He said the search operation was very challenging with strong winds up to 50 kilometres per hour with waves of up to 3.5 metres tall.

“At this time of operation, our focus is more on the ocean area.

“So large assets and aircraft play an important role in searching for the victims while small assets will be ready at the jetty and operating off the coast,” he said.