[ad_1]
PASIR PUTEH: “We had to swim for a good 14 hours,” said skipper Tuan Azhar Tengku Long, one of four fishermen rescued at sea after his fishing boat sank in the waters off Pulau Perhentian last night.
Recalling their harrowing experience, Tuan Azhar said that they all jumped into the sea after their boat was hit by waves up to 4 meters high around 1.30 p.m.
“Then we were loading the fishing nets into the boat and we did not realize that the waves were getting bigger and the seawater had flooded the boat,” he said when he met with journalists at the dock of the Control Agency Malaysian Maritime (MMEA) in Tok Bali here today. .
The others who survived the ordeal were Tuan Azhar’s son, Tuan Azrizal, 19, Mohd Azri Mohd Rasdi, 28, and Norizan Yusof, 45. Norizan was rushed to the Kuala Besut Health Center for treatment upon arrival. to the jetty.
The four, from Kelantan, were found on the beach near a resort in Pulau Perhentian Besar at 8.45am today.
However, another victim, Saari Saleh, 40, from Terengganu, remains missing and MMEA together with the police and other agencies have organized a search and rescue operation.
According to Tuan Azhar, the four of them swam back to Pulau Perhentian, but Saari left the group to find her own way to safety.
“I’m not sure if he has made it or not,” he said, praying that Saari was safe.
Meanwhile, Saari’s mother, Hurani Awang, 73, said she would continue to pray for her son’s safe return.
Earlier, it was reported that the boat with five fishermen was believed to have sunk in the waters off Pulau Perhentian off Terengganu after being hit by strong waves during heavy rain in the 1:00 pm incident yesterday.
