Terengganu maritime director Hamiludin Che Awang said the yacht, Daisy, had departed Pulau Tioman, Pahang, bound for Pattani, Thailand, when it overturned about 30 nautical miles from Pulau Yu.

“One victim, Ates Demiroren, was rescued by a local tugboat crew, while the yacht’s captain and another man remain unaccounted for,” he said in a statement tonight.

A search and rescue operation was activated at 3pm today, with patrol vessel Perkasa 48 deployed to the site.

Those with information are urged to contact the Terengganu maritime operations centre at 013-7464357.

Kuala Terengganu police chief Azli Noor said the men aboard the yacht were on a cross-continent voyage from Malaysia to Turkey.

He also identified the yacht captain as Ahmed Volkan Ata and the missing crew member as Eser Demirkol.

He said before the incident, Ahmed brought the Daisy from Port Jackson Bay, Sydney, Australia and docked in Kuantan Port, Pahang, where he met up with the other two crew members, from Krabi, Thailand, and Singapore.

“On July 28, at 5pm, the Daisy started its voyage for the first checkpoint at Pattani Port, Thailand,” he said in a statement.

He also said Ates is reported to be in a weak condition and is being treated at Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital.