SUNGAI PETANI: Three fishermen, including a father and son, who had been adrift in Indonesian waters for five days returned to their families yesterday.
Asrol Hisham Zainol, 47, his son Shahril Aiman, 17, and a worker, Mohamad Al-Amin Sufian, 29, arrived at Batu Lintang Base near here at about 4am before heading home.
Recalling their ordeal, Asrol Hisham said that on Jan 9, they set out in a boat towards Pulau Payar, accompanied by three other boats carrying 13 friends. They had planned to return the following morning on a Friday. However, a faulty battery left their boat engine inoperable.
“By the time the other boats had started their journey back, we tried to contact them but faced signal issues in the middle of the sea. We attempted to drop anchor, but the rope snapped, causing the boat to drift,“ he told reporters at his home in Kampung Batu Lintang, near here, yesterday.
Asrol Hisham added that few fishermen ventured out to sea on Fridays, leaving them unable to seek help as no boats or ships passed through their drifting area.
“Strong winds carried our boat into Indonesian waters, where it eventually washed ashore at around 6 am on Monday (Jan 13). We waited in the boat until we spotted two fishermen in the area at around 9 am.
“We noticed a fishing boat that looked different from the ones in Malaysia, and from their language, we realised we were in Indonesia. We had landed in Kuala Peunaga, Aceh Tamiang,“ said Asrol Hisham, who endured five days at sea without food or clean water.
The fishermen had caught a significant haul of mackerel before drifting but were forced to discard the spoilt fish. To survive, they drank small amounts of seawater before it rained on the second day adrift.
“After we were stranded in Indonesia, the local fishermen invited us to their home and served us rice and sambal eggs. They then contacted the authorities to report what had happened to us,“ he said.
During their estimated 10-day stay at the authorities’ office in Indonesia, they were treated well, provided with ample food, and had their documentation processed efficiently.
The group departed Indonesia and arrived at Tukun Perak, on the Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border, at 4 pm on Wednesday, escorted by Indonesian authorities. They were received by the Royal Malaysian Navy.
“We were then escorted to Pulau Payar, and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency accompanied us safely back here. We would like to thank everyone involved, including the authorities of the neighbouring country,“ said Asrol Hisham, who has been a fisherman for 15 years.
Meanwhile, Asrol Hisham’s mother, Halimah Shaari, 67, expressed her immense gratitude for the safe return of her son and grandson.
“When I heard the news that they were missing at sea, I prayed and performed special prayers. When I later learned they had been found safe, I prostrated in gratitude. Today, Alhamdulillah, both of them and their friend are back home safely.
“When I received a call from my grandson, Aiman, he managed to say he was safe. I was overwhelmed with emotion, and today, seeing him here before my eyes, I am truly thankful,“ she said.
