KOTA KINABALU: Four people who were rescued after being reported missing at sea for 11 days, are expected to reach Kota Kinabalu by 9am.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency director general Datuk Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar via his Twitter account, said the four will arrive on board a Bombardier CL415 aircraft.

The four, a Malaysian, a Chinese and two Spaniards, spent the night at a navy outpost in Layang Layang after they were picked up by two Vietnamese fishing boats at Amboyna Cay island in the Spratlys Islands at 6pm yesterday.

The four were local Armella Ali, 23, Chinese national Tommy Lam Wai Yin, 45, and Spaniards David Hernandez Gasulla and Martha Miguel, both 30.

The four of them were on board a fiberglass outboard engine powered boat when they apparently encountered bad weather in waters between Pulau Balambangan and Simpang Mengayau in Kudat on May 2.

They were supposed to have reached their destination at 8pm after they left at 5.30pm.

A report was thereafter lodged and massive search and rescue operations was mounted by the Malaysian authorities as well as fishing trawlers.-nst