Fishermen widens search area for missing villager
KUALA SIBUTI: Fishermen are combing the waters between Kuala Sibuti and Kuala Niah using their own boats, about seven nautical miles from the spot Ebrahim Yaman is believed to be fishing before he disappeared.
According to one of them, Ahmad Zaini Ramli, they started the search about 7am yesterday, using 15 boats combing the waters between Kuala Sibuti and Kuala Niah.
“We are positive of finding Ebrahim and we are widening the search today together with the relevant agencies,” Ahmad said when contacted at sea off Kuala Niah about 4.30pm yesterday.
According to Ahmad, the family members and villagers were not giving up their search for Ebrahim, which entered the third day yesterday.
He said a helicopter belonging to Fire and Rescue Dept also joined in the search operation from the air, while MMEA, Civil Defence and Fire and Rescue Dept personnel, and local fishermen were combing the beach and the sea between Kuala Sibuti and Kuala Niah. He said they still could not find the victim as at 4.30pm yesterday, but would continue the search even if it takes a few more days or even weeks. Villagers from Kuala Niah and Kampung Lajong are also combing the beach area to look for the victim.
Ahmad said the villagers and Ebrahim’s family members from Kuala Sibuti would conduct a ‘Hajat’ prayer at the river mouth and at the village surau.
Ebrahim went out fishing on Tuesday morning and his empty boat was found by villagers of Kuala Niah in the evening the same day. Ebrahim, a former Petronas Gas worker, retired last year, and lived at Kampung Luak, Miri.
He regularly went out fishing near his parent s’ village in Kuala Sibuti as a hobby after retiring.