LUNDU: A foreign fishing boat capsized at the Sematan town jetty estuary this morning, but swift action by villagers ensured all three Indonesian crew members on board were safely rescued.
When contacted, Lundu police chief Supt Sudirman Kram confirmed that they received a distress call from the public regarding a stranded boat at the estuary.
“Preliminary investigations found that the boat, carrying about two tonnes of fish, had departed from Sarasan, Indonesia, at around 8pm yesterday (Dec 15).
“The three-man crew intended to deliver the catch to Sematan.
“However, when attempting to enter the Sematan estuary at around 10.30am today, the vessel ran aground on a sandbar during low tide and was battered by waves, causing it to capsize,” he said.
Villagers who witnessed the incident immediately assisted the skipper and his two crew members to safety using a small boat.
Sudirman confirmed all crew members held valid travel documents, and the fishing boat remains stranded at the estuary.
No injuries or casualties were reported and there was no need for a search and rescue (SAR) operation.
He added that the crew have yet to lodge an official police report regarding the incident.
