Fishing Boat Adrift into Indonesian Waters Rescued

KUCHING: A local fishing boat that drifted into Indonesian waters was rescued by the authorities of the neighbouring country last Friday.

Director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (Maritime Malaysia) Sarawak, First Admiral Mohd Khairi Abd Aziz, said the boat, operated by a Laotian skipper, was reported to have lost contact and could not be reached while carrying out fishing activities in Malaysian waters.

He said the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Kuching received this information through the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Putrajaya on 12 June 2026.

“As a result of coordination between Malaysian and Indonesian authorities, the Indonesian National Army-Navy (TNI AL) managed to detect the boat.

“They then towed the boat to the Temajuk Naval Post (POSAL) for inspection and further action,” he said in a statement today.

He said the TNI AL’s inspection found that the boat had not committed any offence throughout the incident.

The Indonesian authorities then contacted Maritime Malaysia to hand over the boat to be brought back to Malaysia.

Following that, Maritime Malaysia assets, KM Kota Kinabalu and Pengawal 42, were deployed to the meeting location to receive the fishing boat.

“The TNI AL vessel together with the fishing boat arrived at the location on the Malaysia-Indonesia maritime border in Tanjung Datu, Sarawak, yesterday morning and the official handover process of the boat to Maritime Malaysia assets was successfully completed.

“Maritime Malaysia also provided assistance with a supply of 300 litres of diesel to the fishing boat to enable it to sail back to the Tun Abang Salahuddin Maritime Complex (KOMTAS) jetty in Muara Tebas,” he said.

Berita Harian