Four anglers stranded off Pulau Merambong rescued by MMEA

JOHOR BAHRU, Oct 18  -- Four anglers stranded in the waters off Pulau Merambong, near Tanjung Pelepas Port, due to a damaged boat engine, were rescued by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) yesterday.

The rescued victims were Anuar Maula Yusof, 30, Faizul Esa, 23, Mohd Ezuan Mohammed, 34, and Muhammad Danial Mohd Salleh, 24.

Johor Maritime director, First Admiral (Maritime) Nurul Hizam Zakaria said the Johor Bahru Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) received a distress call from one of the victims at 4.59 pm, informing that their boat had suffered engine damage at 0.2 nautical miles southeast of Pulau Merambong, Johor Bahru.

"They had gone out fishing from the Kampung Pendas jetty, Johor Bahru at noon yesterday but the boat engine could not be started when they wanted to return home, so the victims contacted the MERS 999 line for help," he said in a statement here today.

Nurul Hizam said a patrol boat was sent out and within 20 minutes, all the victims were found safe and wearing safety jackets.

"Their boat was towed to the Kampung Pendas jetty at 7.06 pm, the same day," he added.

-- BERNAMA