Fishermen still missing in Kupang waters

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: Local police are still searching for five fishermen who went missing mysteriously on Aug. 13 in Kupang waters.

Provincial Police Chief Brig. Gen. Edward Aritonang said on Friday that the police had deployed dozens of officers to search for the five fishermen, all residents of Namosain, Alak district, but the search has been fruitless.

Besides searching along the coastal areas of the province, the police have also coordinated with the West Nusa Tenggara police, as well as East Timor and Australian authorities.

Asia Muin, the wife of Muhammad Taher, one of the five fishermen, said she feared that her husband and the four others had drowned in the rough seas that capsized their motorboat while fishing. -- JP