Bodies of 2 missing fishermen found near Batu Pahat

The search was launched after the two fishermen had set off from Pontian to fish but failed to return home. (Bernama pic)

JOHOR BAHRU: The bodies of two fishermen reported missing on Thursday in the waters off Pulau Pisang, near Pontian, were found today.

Johor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Aminuddin Abdul Rashid said the first body was found floating off Tanjung Laboh, Batu Pahat, at 8.15am, while the second body was found in the water off Sungai Tampuk, Benut, near Pontian, at 9.50am.

“The first body was found by a search team from Batu Pahat 23.5 nautical miles northwest of where they were believed to have gone missing.

“The second body was found by local fishermen who took part in the search operation, about seven nautical miles northwest from the area the victims were believed to have gone missing,” Aminuddin said in a statement here today.

He said the first body was sent to the Batu Pahat Hospital while the second victim was sent to the Pontian Hospital for identification by their families.

On Thursday, both fishermen, Mohd Yusni Mohd Yusof, 43, and his cousin, Mohd Khair Ismail, 38, went to the Pulau Pisang waters to catch fish but failed to return home.

Worried, their families lodged a police report the following day, and the search and rescue operation was mobilised involving the MMEA, the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM), the Fire and Rescue Department, the marine police force and local fishermen. - FMT