KOTA BARU, March 14 — Journalists, photographers and television crew who joined the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) for a first-hand look at search and rescue operations (SAR) were paralysed by seasickness.

A total of 13 media personnel were aboard two MMEA patrol boats departing from the agency’s 10^th maritime district office in Tok Bali yesterday on a 25 nautical miles journey into the sea.

However, barely 10 minutes into their journey, some began to experience seasickness as the boats were tossed by strong waves due to the incoming tide.

Some were even flung up into the air for a brief second when a particularly strong wave hit one of the boats.

Shortly after, a few could be seen vomiting into plastic bags and feeling dizzy.  One unfortunate photographer even vomited all over his clothing and gear.

At this juncture, the maritime personnel immediately transferred all media up on deck.  An MMEA spokesman on board said maritime personnel avoid seasickness by keeping busy on deck.

“We try not to think about it, as seasickness can be psychological. The more one worries about getting seasick, the higher the chances of it occurring are,” he said, adding that the sea condition at the time was calm by maritime standards.

During the journey, which lasted four hours, the media were exposed to the realities of SAR operations in the vast rolling ocean.

During the mission yesterday, maritime personnel meticulously scanned the sea with binoculars for signs that might lead to the missing MH370 plane.

There was a sudden adrenaline rush when some members of the media thought they had seen a life jacket or raft, only to be disappointed when it turned out to just be a discarded box.

The sheer size of the ocean, the harsh environment at sea, the increasing maritime activities due to SAR efforts, and the need to coordinate regionally and internationally are some of the challenges faced by the rescuers.