An Indonesian boat captain endured a tense ordeal after the foreign fishing vessel he was operating drifted at sea for nearly 10 days before washing ashore at Telaga Air Jetty in Sarawak due to engine failure.
Sarawak Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director First Admiral Mohd Khairi Abd Aziz said residents of Kampung Telaga Air spotted the vessel drifting uncontrollably and alerted the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Kuching.
MMEA officers were immediately dispatched to the location and found the Indonesian captain on board. He was safe but visibly exhausted following the prolonged period at sea.
Further inspections revealed that the vessel had run out of fuel and sustained damage to its gearbox as well as its navigational equipment, leaving the captain unable to steer the boat or return to Indonesia.
As a result, the vessel drifted for days before eventually reaching Sarawak waters. Following the rescue, MRSC Kuching lodged a police report at Batu Kawa Police Station.
The captain was later handed over to a representative of the Indonesian Consulate General, Bapak Hendy, for further action.
