Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency’s (MMEA) Sabah and Labuan director Mohd Zubil Mat Som said two of the agency’s vessels, KM Bistari and KM Banggi, as well as two Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) ships had been mobilised for the search-and-rescue mission.
He said as of 2pm today, there had been no signs of them.
Five anglers from the same boat were rescued yesterday by supply ship MV Executive Balance. They are expected to arrive in Labuan today.
“Our search-and-rescue mission is still ongoing with the additional assets from MMEA and RMN,” he said when contacted.
“We will also extend our search area. We hope we’ll find them.”
It was reported that yesterday’s search area of 25 square nautical miles was extended to 875 square nautical miles today.
Zubil yesterday said the 12 anglers, from Pulau Gaya, here, had set out for the open sea at 3am.
“The Labuan maritime district operation centre received a call at around 11.30am about an anglers’ boat which was believed to have capsized northwest of Labuan,” he said in a statement.
“They were feared to have drowned while the five were found alive 97 nautical miles northwest of Labuan.”
The five rescued were identified as Sibar, 26; Musimal, 19; Ridzmal 21; Azmer and Algapal, both aged 31.