Body of missing fisherman found off Pulau Kapas

KUALA TERENGGANU: The body of a fisherman who went missing yesterday was found floating around 17 nautical miles from Pulau Kapas today.

Terengganu Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Captain (Maritime) Muhammad Suffi Mohd Ramlie said the body of Baharudin Abdullah, 47, was found by local fishermen while conducting a search and rescue operation at around 1 pm.

"The boy of the victim has been brought to the Terengganu Maritime jetty at around 7.30 pm and the identification process was done by the victim's family members and the police.

"The body was then handed over to the police to be taken to Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital for a post-mortem and further action," he said in a statement here today

Muhammad Suffi said following the discovery, MMEA would now focus its efforts to locate two more missing fishermen in Kuala Terengganu waters, using three assets, a patrol ship, a patrol boat and an aircraft.

"Today's search covered a distance of 211.54 nautical radius from where the victims were believed to have gone missing. The search also involves the Fisheries Department and the local fishermens' association.

"The skipper of the boat, Jaafar Sulong, 66, and his crew member, Baharuddin, who is in his 30s, went missing after they left to fish yesterday morning and were due back on the same day but failed to do so," he added.

-- BERNAMA