KUCHING: A fisherman, believed to be a Filipino, who was adrift at sea for five days after being separated from the motherboat he was in was rescued by another boat from an offshore platform belonging to Sarawak Shell Berhad last night.
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak director First Admiral (Maritime) Robert Teh Geok Chua said the fisherman, identified as Worknel, in his sixties, was given initial treatment and food and attended to by the crew at the platform.
He added that personnel from the Kuching Maritime Rescue Sub Centre, upon being informed of the incident rushed to the scene to provide further assistance.
The victim was then transferred onto an MMEA vessel at about 11pm and taken to the Marina Bay jetty in Miri at 8.15am today.
“The victim stated that he had been separated from the motherboat for five days while fishing in the Bintulu-Miri waters.
“The victim will be taken to the hospital for a medical examination and then sent to the Malaysian Immigration Department for further action,“ he said in a statement, adding that a police report was also made as the victim did not have any identification documents on him.
Teh reminded the public, especially the fishing community, to always follow safety procedures when carrying out activities at sea.
He said they must ensure that communication equipment on the boat or vessel was functioning and carry the Personal Locator Beaco which would enable the Malaysian maritime authorities to detect emergencies at sea.
He urged the public who know of any emergencies or suspicious activities in Malaysian waters to contact the Sarawak Malaysian Maritime Operations Centre at 082-432544 or MERS 999. — Bernama
