Four Thai Fishermen Missing As Boat Sinks Off Malaysia

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Four Thai fishermen missing as boat sinks off Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, December 31, 2010 (AFP) - Malaysian maritime officials said Friday that four Thai fishermen and their Malaysian skipper were missing after their trawler sank in rough seas off the coast of northern Pahang state.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency regional operations chief Abdul Aziz Idrus told state media the vessel had put to sea on Wednesday and authorities were alerted on Thursday afternoon.

"The MMEA rushed a vessel, KM Lang, with 24 officers on board to the location within 40 minutes," he told Bernama.

Abdul Aziz said search and rescue teams found the stricken trawler late Thursday, with only its bow above water but with no sign of the vessel's five crew.

"The search-and-rescue operation will continue until 7pm (1100 GMT) today and will resume tomorrow morning if the fishermen are not found today," he added.

The trawler has been towed back to shore, Abdul Aziz said, adding that the accident occurred during the year-end monsoon season, when the seas off Malaysia's coasts were very rough.

The latest incident comes just days after five Singaporeans, who were among 29 people on a fishing boat, died when their wooden vessel tipped over in rough seas off southern Johor state as they headed back to the mainland from an island fishing trip.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2010-12-31