GEORGE TOWN: A sailboat capsized in Penang waters here this afternoon after the engine generator exploded.
Four men, including the sailboat owner, in their 50s, are reported to be safe, with two of them sustaining minor injuries.
Jalan Perak fire station chief A' Azelan Hassan said they received a distress call about 2.40pm, alerting them to a capsized sailboat near Jelutong.
He said they, together with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Marine Department, monitored the sailboat from a distance of 300 to 400m from shore.
However, they could not ascertain the victims' location inside the boat and the Marine Department contacted the 52-year-old owner for further details.
"He told us that the four, including the captain, were on their way from Port Dickson to Langkawi and had made a pit stop in Penang.
"Before they arrived in Penang, the engine's generator set exploded, causing the sailboat to start to collapse.
"At the time of the incident, there were four people — three passengers and a captain. They were rescued by nearby fishermen.
"Two of them sustained minor injuries to their leg and ear," he said when met at the scene.
The two injured were sent to hospital for treatment.
The boat owner, who was contacted by the Fire and Rescue Department, said they made a pit stop here to get nasi kandar before going to continuing their journey to Langkawi.
He said it was during their wait at the mouth of Jelutong jetty where the generator set possibly overloaded.
The capsized sailboat was towed to the Marine Department.