BINTULU — Under the dark waters off Tanjung Payung, rescuers believe two Malaysian fishermen — a father and son — remain trapped inside their capsized boat. As dawn breaks tomorrow, a team of divers will return to the sea, hoping to bring them home.
The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday when a fishing vessel with six crew members overturned in rough seas. Four Indonesian fishermen were pulled to safety, but 65-year-old Jender Baem and his 33-year-old son, Petrus Andrew Jender, have yet to be found.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) confirmed that its Zone 5 Water Rescue Unit will lead the underwater search, supported by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), which has already pinpointed the location of the wreck.
At Bintulu Port, a forward command post hums with quiet urgency as responders prepare for the morning dive. “Visibility will be a challenge, but we will do everything we can,” one officer said.
According to Captain Muhammad Suffian Eldine Abdullah, director of MMEA Bintulu Zone, the vessel capsized about three nautical miles northwest of Tanjung Payung. The alarm was raised at 6.15pm Wednesday, after the tugboat TB Swee rescued four survivors and reported the sinking.
For the families waiting ashore, every hour feels endless. The hope that the divers might find signs of life — or at least closure — keeps them holding on.