KOTA KINABALU: The eight men who went missing in Tawau waters have been rescued, after one of them managed to phone for help from the boat.
The victims, aged from 31 to 53, all locals except for one Thai citizen, were found by a search and rescue team 7.6 nautical miles northwest of Pulau Sipadan at 5.35pm on Monday evening (July 24), the Tawau Malaysia Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement.
The group were reported missing earlier on Monday when they failed to return home after leaving for a fishing trip from Inderasabah jetty on Sunday morning (July 23) and could not be contacted.
"MMEA informed the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) which then activated a search and rescue (SAR) operation at 10.15am, assisted by the marine police, Fire and Rescue Department and the local community.
"The operation, with about 50 personnel, covered 10 square nautical miles. Indonesian authorities were also alerted about the incident.
"A call then came in from one of the missing victims, asking for assistance as their boat had suffered engine failure and started drifting further out to sea.
"The victim finally managed to send their location and the team found them and towed the vessel back to the Inderasabah maritime post," said Tawau zone MMEA deputy director Maritime Commander Amiludin Yenggah.
All victims were safe and have returned home, he added.
