BATU PAHAT: Two local fishermen are feared to have drowned after they fell into the sea while reeling in their fishing net at 14.6 nautical miles (27.03km) southwest of Sungai Rengit.

       The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said the incident took place around 8am on Wednesday (Dec 22).

       Johor MMEA deputy director (operations) Maritime Capt Simon Templer Lo Tusa said the Johor Baru maritime rescue sub-centre received a call from the fishermen’s friends who contacted the Batu Pahat Maritime Zone at around 8.30am.

       He said the Batu Pahat Maritime Zone dispatched Benteng 5 boat to the scene.

       “The captain of the fishermen’s boat informed our officers that the two victims were at the rear of the boat when the incident happened,” Templer said in a statement.

       He said the rope attached to the net snapped and twisted itself around the legs of both victims, causing them to fall into the sea.

       Templer added the missing victims, identified as Yap Kok Hong, 33, and Goh Chin Ka, 66, were not wearing safety jackets at the time of the incident.

       “They also cannot swim and the captain tried to find the victims but they were nowhere to be found,’’ he said.

       Templer said the search and rescue (SAR) operation dubbed Op Carilmat was activated at 8.40am and the SAR post was also set up at the Batu Pahat Maritime Zone.

       He said MMEA had also informed Basarnas (Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency) on the missing two fishermen via Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Putrajaya.