KUCHING: A 37-year-old Indonesian fisherman, Syahrudin, endured a harrowing 10 days adrift in the South China Sea before safely reaching Sarawak, relying on his fishing experience, determination and hope to return to his family.
In a phone interview with New Straits Times, Syahrudin recounted the ordeal, noting how his fuel dwindled and his GPS malfunctioned, leaving him uncertain of his location.
He relied on the sun to navigate, but thick clouds and fog made it impossible.
“I began to worry about my wife and three children, aged three to twenty. Fuel was running low, and I could not find the direction I needed to take,” he said.
Syahrudin departed Subi Island in Riau Islands province on Nov 30 for what was expected to be a routine fishing trip.
Despite having adequate food and water, the journey turned perilous as he drifted some 96 nautical miles across the South China Sea.
His two decades of fishing experience, he said, helped him remain calm and determined.
“My experience and my determination to be back home kept my spirits high despite the strong waves and being lost at sea,” he said.
The Indonesian Consul General in Kuching, Abdullah Zulkifli, expressed gratitude for the swift response from Malaysian authorities and local villagers.
“I would like to thank the Malaysian government, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Sarawak, Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Kuching, and especially the people of Kampung Telaga Air who first saw the Indonesian sailor,” he said.
On Wednesday, Syahrudin finally spotted lights from a Kuching jetty and guided his boat safely to shore.
“When I arrived at the jetty, I did not know where I was. My fear was that I would be arrested and my boat seized,” he said.
He received assistance from local authorities and the Indonesian Consulate General, which provided 500 litres of fuel, food, and water for the return journey.
“I thank the Malaysian authorities, the locals, and the Indonesian consulate general for their generosity and assistance in making my safe return possible,” he said.
After arriving in Kuching, he immediately called his wife.
“I told her I miss all of you. I long to return home and asked if they had eaten,” he said.
His family had feared he might have been detained at sea.
Syahrudin plans to return to Subi Island on Monday, equipped with a repaired GPS system, and expects the journey to take three days.
