Nine fishermen narrowly escaped with their lives after the two boats they were in were involved in a collision in waters off Pulau Kendi near Bukit Mertajam in Malaysia Monday.

In the 1.30pm incident, one of the boats carrying six fishermen, which was returning to the Juru Jetty, rammed into the other anchored off the jetty.

Azlan Abdul Manaf, 29, who was helming the first boat, told Bernama that the hot midday sun affected his vision and did not realise the other boat with three fishermen on board was in its path.

He said the impact of the collision caused the three men on the other boat to be flung overboard but luckily all three were saved from drowning.

The two boats were towed away by the maritime authorities to Tanjung Asam, Teluk Kumbar for further investigations.

2012 BERNAMA