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Missing divers: Dive boat skipper tested positive for drug

Kamarul Zaman Mamat (centre) is being briefed by the Iskandar Mersing Camp 21st Special Service Group General Staff Chief Aid Ridzwan Abdullah on the search and rescue mission of the four missing divers at Tokong Sanggol Island in Mersing, Johor. dive boat skipper
Kamarul Zaman Mamat (centre) is being briefed by the Iskandar Mersing Camp 21st Special Service Group General Staff Chief Aid Ridzwan Abdullah on the search and rescue mission of the four missing divers at Tokong Sanggol Island in Mersing, Johor. Kamarul Zaman Mamat (tengah) mendengar taklimat yang diberikan Ketua Staf Am 21 Gerup Gerak Khas Kem Iskandar Mersing, Aid Ridzwan Abdullah ketika meninjau operasi mencari empat penyelam warga asing hilang di Pulau Tokong Sanggol di Mersing, Johor.

By Ernalisa Othman

MERSING – The skipper of the boat which carried the four scuba divers who went missing at Tekong Sanggol Island, Mersing yesterday afternoon was tested positive for drug.

The Johor Police Chief, Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat who verified the matter said that the boat skipper was arrested at 11.30 pm last night to assist in the investigation.

“Based on investigation, the man was positive of drug from urine test. We arrested him and he will be investigated under the Dangerous Drugs Act,” he told the media representatives at the Mersing General Jetty today.

Yesterday, four foreign nationals divers were reported missing during their dive training at the Tokong Sanggol Island, Mersing, Johor in the afternoon.

The Johor State Maritime Director, First Maritime Admiral Nurul Hizam Zakaria said, the Maritime received the information that the four foreign divers did not ascend after their dive training at 12.00 pm from the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Putrajaya at 2.35 pm.

The victims comprised of a 14-year-old British teenage boy, 46-year-old British man, 18-year-old French woman and a 35-year-old Norwegian woman, who is also the dive instructor.

Meanwhile, when asked if there were elements of negligence, Kamarul Zaman said that the police are investigating the matter and they have taken the statements from the boat skipper.

“The police will investigate from the angle of their dive equipment and other areas.

“The forensics team will also conduct their investigation. We do not have any leads now. It’s more important to focus on the search and rescue operation now,” he said. -MalaysiaGazette