LANGKAWI: Four crew members and 14 anglers are missing after their vessel was believed to have sunk in the waters of this tourist island this afternoon.
The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the vessel was believed to have sunk 9.4 nautical miles west of Pulau Beras Basah, Langkawi, around 2pm.
Kedah and Perlis MMEA director First Maritime Admiral Mohd Zawawi Abdullah said upon receiving a report from the Maritime Rescue Sub-Center (MRSC) here, the agency has since activated Search and Rescue Operations (SAR) to locate the crew members and the anglers.
He said that MMEA has since dispatched KM Tenggol, Boat Perkasa 1225 and Boat Penyelamat 5 for the SAR operations.
Information on the incident was also channelled to agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Navy, Royal Malaysian Police, Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department, Armed Forces and the local fishing community to assist in the search and rescue operations.
"The operating sector was expanded from 5 nautical miles to 10 nautical miles following the discovery of several objects such as fish barrels, biscuit tins and cork believed to belong to the boat," Zawawi said in a statement here today.
He also revealed that SAR teams have found debris floating some 4.8 nautical miles, southwest of the final position the vessel was reported missing.
Zawawi said the MMEA was continuing with the SAR operations.
