MERSING: A fisherman was killed when the boat’s gas tank for the air-conditioner exploded off the waters of Pulau Tinggi here this morning.
Mersing police chief Abdul Razak Abdullah Sani said Arodi Sulaiman, 43, died from head injuries at the scene at about 7am.
He said the fisherman’s friend, Mamat Man, 59, sustained serious injuries and was being treated at Mersing Hospital, while the boat’s skipper, Ariffin Mohamed, 57, suffered light injuries. Another crew member, Azri Che Soh, 43, escaped unhurt.
“The incident is believed to have happened when the four men had gone fishing. While three of them were asleep, the fourth steered the boat in the waters off the island.
“However, there was an explosion in the compartment that houses the air-conditioner’s gas cylinder. The boat is still in working condition and will be brought back to Endau jetty for further investigations,” he said in a statement.
In a separate statement, Mersing zone Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency maritime commander Suhaizan Saadin said the incident happened about four nautical miles northwest of Pulau Tinggi.
He said that according to the skipper, there was a loud explosion, which was believed to have come from the boat’s engine. This was followed by a fire.