Malaysian Tourist Missing for 6 Days After Diving Accident in Sabang Waters Remains Unfound
The search operation for a Malaysian tourist who went missing while diving in the waters of Sabang, Aceh, is still ongoing. Entering the sixth day, the SAR team has expanded its sweep by dividing personnel into four separate teams around the victim’s last known location.
The missing tourist has been identified as Ho Wee Han, 49. He was reported missing after diving in the Shark Plateau area, Selako Island, Gampolog Iboih, Sukakarya District, Sabang City, on Friday, 11 September 2026.
The Head of Basarnas Banda Aceh, Ibnu Harris Al Hussain, stated that four teams have been deployed to sweep various directions in the waters of Pulau Weh. “We have divided four teams to search for the Malaysian tourist reported missing while diving in the waters of Pulau Weh, Sabang City. The search has now entered its sixth day,” Ibnu said in Banda Aceh on Wednesday, 16 September 2026.
The first team is conducting surface sweeps using the Sabang SAR Post RIB. The second team is moving towards the northeast using a rubber boat (RIB) belonging to the Iboih Dive Centre. Meanwhile, the third team is sweeping towards the northwest using the Pulau Weh Resort RIB, and the fourth team is moving towards the southeast using the Safari Dive Centre RIB.
In addition to relying on surface sweeps, officers are also conducting underwater searches. Diving operations are being carried out at depths of approximately 50 to 60 metres. The surface search area has been expanded to a radius of five nautical miles from the last known location of Ho Wee Han.
Undersea Currents Pose Challenge
The search operation involves various agencies. In addition to personnel from the Sabang SAR Post, members of the police, the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), Iboih Tourism Police, divers, the Sabang City Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), as well as local residents and fishermen, are participating.
Ho Wee Han was previously known to be diving with three others in the Shark Plateau area at approximately 15:05 WIB. At a depth of about 20 metres, the undersea currents reportedly became increasingly strong. This situation caused the divers to be swept to a depth of approximately 30 metres.
In those conditions, Ho Wee Han was no longer visible to his dive companions. An initial search was conducted from the surface for approximately 30 minutes, but the victim could not be found, leading to the incident being reported to the police and SAR teams.