This was according to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), which has been searching for Lucas Soares Bondezan, 24, who was on a luxury yacht that exploded northwest of Penang Island last week.
The family chose not to disclose the reward money until Bondezan is found.
MMEA District II Director Maritime Captain Rozali Mohd Said said Bondezan’s parents and sister had arrived in Penang and would later go to Langkawi, where the ill-fated yacht began its voyage to Singapore.
Rozali said the search, using remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs), was difficult and had to be deferred due to bad weather.
“The winds are at 40kph to 50kph, with waves 3.5-4m high.
“We feel the wreckage could have been swept further away from Penang waters,” he said at a press conference today.
Rozali added it had requested for sonar equipment from the naval forces to aid in the search for the yacht.
He said the sonar equipment could scan waters underneath and if an object was detected, it would deploy its ROVs to confirm it.
Rozali added it was likely that Bondezan might be in the wreckage or close to the wreckage in the high seas.
The luxury yacht “UN1K”, owned by Frenchman Pascal Vu Anh-Quan, left Langkawi, Kedah, for Singapore with four people on board at 7pm on Thursday.
It is believed a fire broke out from the engine compartment and caused an explosion, crippling the yacht, the next morning.
The other three crew members, Novak Novakovic, 28, from Siberia, Rudolf Kolic, 61, a Croatian, and Jaroslav Horejsek, 37, a Czech, were injured in the explosion.
Local fishermen in the vicinity took the victims to the Alor Star Hospital.
Horejsek was transferred to Langkawi Hospital to undergo surgery for a broken leg while the other two were discharged after treatment for minor injuries.
Those with information on Bondezan’s whereabouts can contact Leticia Soares Bondezan at 013-2344378 or 019-2853906.
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