JAKARTA, April 13 — Two Indonesian fishermen who drifted into Malaysian waters after their boat suffered engine failure have been safely rescued by a joint search and rescue (SAR) operation with assistance from the Malaysian authorities.
Head of the Class A Tanjungpinang SAR Office Fazzli said the victims from Karimun Regency in Indonesia’s Riau Islands province, were found after being carried by strong currents for about 20.73 nautical miles from Tokong Hiu waters, off Karimun, to the Kukup area in Johor, southern Malaysia.
He said the rescue involved coordination between Indonesian authorities, including the Karimun Police Water Unit, and Malaysia’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Johor to facilitate evacuation efforts in Malaysian waters.
“Intensive coordination through Precom (preliminary communication) and Excom (execution communication) was crucial to secure permission to enter Malaysian waters and evacuate the victims,” he said according to Antara News Agency, late Sunday.
Fazzli said the incident began on Saturday night when the boat carrying the two fishermen suffered engine failure amid adverse weather and heavy rain, subsequently carried by currents across the maritime boundary.
Following approval from Malaysian authorities, a rescue team from the Tanjung Balai Karimun SAR Post departed at 5pm local time on Sunday aboard a Polair speedboat and reached the victims at 6.53pm in Malaysian waters.
The evacuation process was carried out smoothly, with the transfer completed at 7.55 pm before the team returned to Indonesia.
“The victims arrived safely at Tanjung Balai Karimun Port, in Karimun, Riau Islands, at 8.15 pm and were immediately handed over to their families in stable condition,” he said. — Bernama
