KOTA KINABALU, Feb 1 ― The area of the search for the missing six victims of a catamaran that capsized off Sabah last Saturday has been extended to 3,900sq nautical miles.

An officer with the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC), Nur Hafiza Hassan said today's search would also begin to enter the waters off Miri, Sarawak.

"The sea today is quite rough and will pose a problem to the search operation,” she said when briefing the media on the SAR operation, which entered its fifth day, today.

She said for today, six ships, seven boats and two aircraft belonging to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Royal Malaysian Navy (RMAF) and the Royal Malaysian Police aircraft were engaged in the search.

Brunei had also deployed a ship and an aircraft to conduct the search in her waters, she added. ― Bernama