Heavy rains and rough seas pose challenges for Sabah search-and-rescue ops

Heavy rains and rough seas are among the challenges of today's fifth day search-and-rescue operations (SAR), as six more victims of a capsized boat last Thursday have not been found, Sabah Region 4 Marine Police commander ACP Mohamad Pajeri Ali said.

He said the operations since 6am had covered the search radius up to the Philippine border waters, besides Lahad Datu and Semporna, involving five assets and 33 officers and members of the Lahad Datu and Semporna marine police force.

"There have been negative reports of the discovery of dead bodies or boat debris so far," he told Bernama.

Mohamad Pajeri said there were also no reports from the Philippines authorities of the discovery of the victims.

Yesterday, he said, the Philippine National Police Maritime Group (PNP-MG) and the Sabah Air Operations Force (PGU) were called in to jointly conduct the SAR operations.

Nine people were reported to have been on a boat from Sibutu, Philippines, believed to have capsized, before a male survivor was found in Merabung waters near Tungku near Lahad Datu last Thursday.

Meanwhile, the bodies of a woman and a man were found floating in the waters of Bangingod, Tungku on Friday and in the waters of Mataking Island yesterday, leaving six including two children still missing and feared drowned.

- Bernama