Police: SAR operation for missing Dutch diver called off, Indonesia to take over

MERSING - The search and rescue (SAR) operation for the 14-year-old Dutch diver Nathen Renze Chesters who went missing in the waters of Pulau Tokong Sanggol last Wednesday has been called off at 1.30 pm today.

Mersing district police chief Supt Cyril Edward Nuing said this was following the information and investigations findings that the British diver Adrian Peter Chesters and French national Alexia Alexandra Molina were at a position of 16 nautical miles north of Bintan Island, Indonesia, when they were found safe early this morning.

He said it was about 70 nautical miles or 100 kilometres from the location they were reported missing.

"Based on this information, we are of the opinion that the search efforts should focus on Indonesian waters and the operation in Malaysian waters is temporarily suspended.

"Our Indonesian counterpart has been informed of this matter and they will take over (the operation) in Indonesian waters. However, our assets at sea are always at the ready,” he told a press conference at the Carilamat base set up at the Mersing district council public jetty here today. - BERNAMA