ISKANDAR PUTERI: Four employees from the Johor Fisheries Department who were reported missing on Tuesday (Feb 28), were found safe on their boat about one nautical mile off Pulau Kepalajerai, near Batam, Indonesia, on Wednesday (March 1) afternoon.

Johor Maritime director First Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said all of them were in good health when discovered by the Indonesian National Military (TNI) at 1.45pm Wednesday.

He said the staff were Tanjung Sedili Base fisheries assistant Fatimah Razak, 36; and marine assistants Zaharin Baharudin, 33; Abd Halim Sanip, 52; and Mohd Marzuki Jusoh, 53.

"The boat they were on was believed to have suffered battery damage before drifting into waters off the country (Indonesia) about 13 nautical miles from their last known location.

"We are in the process of bringing the boat home, which is currently being repaired by the TNI. The employees will be accompanied by TNI during the handover process in Johor Barat waters today," he told reporters at the Sungai Pulai Maritime Jetty here Wednesday.

Johor Fisheries director Zainudin Abd Wahab was also present.

Nurul Hizam at the same time expressed his appreciation to all the agencies involved including the TNI, the Indonesian Consulate-General and the Singapore Consulate-General, who also helped in the search and rescue (SAR) operation.

He said operation codenamed "Op Carilamat" also officially ended at 2pm Wednesday afternoon.

On Tuesday, the boat left from Tanjung Pengelih, Pengerang, at about 12.45pm and was scheduled to reach Pangkalan Tampoi, in Johor Baru, at 6.30pm but lost contact a few hours into the journey.

Earlier Wednesday, Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu said that the search and rescue (SAR) operation spanning 47 nautical miles was carried out using assets of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, and aided by agencies from Singapore and Indonesia. - Bernama