Maritime search and rescue updates for missing fishermen in Palau and Malaysia

Two separate maritime incidents involving missing fishermen have been reported in Southeast Asian waters.

In the first case, Rahmad Labada, a 31-year-old crew member of the fishing vessel KM El Malika, was found safe in the Republic of Palau after being missing at sea for 13 days. Labada reportedly lost contact on August 7, 2026, when his auxiliary boat was separated from the main vessel by waves. He was discovered on Peleliu Island on August 20 and received medical treatment before being repatriated to Indonesia via Manila on August 29.

In a separate incident, search and rescue operations for 32-year-old fisherman Sabrie Rusli have been terminated in Malaysia. Rusli was believed to have gone missing after his boat capsized near Tenggol Island. Despite systematic searches covering approximately 801 square nautical miles using sonar, diving operations, and Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV), no traces of the fisherman were found.