Singaporeans missing after boat sinks off Mersing

JOHOR BAHARU, Sept 27 Two Singaporean men went missing when the fishing trawler they were on sank after being hit by an oil tanker off Pulau Aur, Mersing over the weekend, Bernama Online reported.

The other five Singaporeans and two Malaysians with them have been rescued. A search and rescue is still going on for the duo, Tan Ah Juan, 55, and Peck Zhi Yi, 31, after their Saturday mishap, according to Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Southern Region enforcement chief First Admiral (Maritime) Zulkifli Abu Bakar.

They were busy fishing when they were hit about 10pm, with everyone thrown off the trawler before it eventually capsized, Zulkifli told reporters.

The boat was skippered by Malaysian Roslan Hussin, 29. He survived along with the other Malaysian, Zainal Jol, 39. The Singaporeans rescued were Sim Hong Heng, 40, Goh Kian Seng, 45, Lim Kim Huat, 39, Pang Way Shang, 38, and Pan Poh Loh, 42.

Local fishing boats picked them up at 5.45pm on Sunday after they clung on for seven hours to empty drums and wood, 11.5 nautical miles east of Pulau Aur.

The surviving Singaporeans were received by a Singapore High Commission officer at Tanjung Sedili jetty.