KOTA KINABALU: Four people including a boy can count themselves lucky as a Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) vessel happened to be nearby when their boat capsized off Sabah’s east coast Lahad Datu district.
In the incident at about 1pm on Tuesday (Aug 29), the three women and the boy, aged between 10 and 40, were travelling in a pump boat when it overturned after being hit by high waves and strong winds in Kampung Puyut waters.
Lahad Datu MMEA director Commander Nik Mohd Rizam Nik Mohd Fauzi said that a patrol boat which was nearby spotted the incident and sped to the location.
The MMEA rescuing victims after their boat overturned.
“The victims were immediately rescued and none of them sustained any injuries,” he said in a statement on Wednesday (Aug 30).
“It is believed that they were not wearing life jackets,” he added.
As such, Mohd Rizam urged the public, especially those going out to sea, to think of their safety.
MMEA personnel helping a victim to safety.
“Life jackets must be prepared particularly in water activities or at locations with high potential of emergency incidents,” he said.
He also urged the maritime community to continue providing the MMEA with information on incidents at sea or on any suspicious activity by calling the 24-hour Lahad Datu MMEA office at 089-885727 or the Malaysian Emergency Response Services (MERS) 999 number.
