Missing 3 Days Due To Damaged Boat Engine, 2 Fishermen In East Aceh Found Safe

ACEH TIMUR – After being lost and adrift for three days and two nights on the high seas, finally two fishermen from East Aceh were found in the waters of the Malacca Strait safely.

"The two of them were found by other fishermen in their motorboat whose engine was damaged in the waters of Ulee Rubek, North Aceh Regency, Saturday, May 21 at around 21.30 WIB," said the Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of East Aceh Regency, Ashadi in East Aceh, Sunday. May 22.

The two fishermen are Abdullah (43) and Fauzi (30). Both are residents of Gampong Blang Uyok, Julok District, East Aceh. They have been fishing from Kuala Geulumpang, Julok, East Aceh, since Thursday 19 May.

Based on their confession, the two went to sea and fished at a point 12 miles off the coast of Idi Cut Beach, East Aceh Regency. However, their motorboat engine was damaged.

"Both of them were found and rescued by fishermen from North Aceh in the waters of Ulee Rubek. Currently, they have been sent home and gathered with their families," said Ashadi, as quoted by Antara.

Previously, they were reported missing on Friday morning 20 May after not returning home. Usually, the two fishermen leave in the morning and return in the afternoon. They use a motor boat known as an oskadon.

The two fishermen were sought after by a joint team of the East Aceh Regency BPBD Task Force, the East Aceh SAR Team and the Langsa SAR Post as well as the TNI/Polri as well as local fishermen.

"The search was carried out by combing a number of points in the waters of the Malacca Strait and along the coast in East Aceh Regency. With the discovery of the two fishermen, the search operation was stopped," said Ashadi.