IPOH, March 6 — Three 16-year-old teenagers who had planned to spend time boating while waiting to break their fast, faced an anxious ordeal when their sampan drifted to sea due to bad weather in waters off Pasir Panjang, near Manjung, Lumut, on Wednesday.
The Perak Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) received a distress call via the 999 emergency line at 6.57pm, prompting the activation of a search and rescue (SAR) operation.
Its director Maritime Captain Mohamad Shukri Khotob said Perkasa 1223 boat was deployed to the location, about 3.2 nautical miles southeast of Pulau Katak.
“The weather conditions during the operation were reported to be unfavourable, with north-westerly winds blowing at speeds of between 30 and 40 kilometres per hour.
“Wave heights reached between 1.5 and 2.5 metres, with thunderstorms reported in several areas, increasing safety risks at sea,” he said in a statement yesterday.
Mohamad Shukri said that the team arrived at the location at 8.25pm and located the three teenagers, safe and unharmed, in their boat.
They were brought to the Marina Island Jetty in Lumut and were reunited with their families at 10.10pm.
“The SAR operation was concluded at 11.30pm after the assets involved returned to base,” he said. — Bernama
