12 still missing in Sabah boat tragedy

2009/11/28

KUDAT (Sabah), Sat: The number of victims reported missing in the boat capsize tragedy off here on Thursday rose to 12 from four yesterday. "This is based on reports lodged by family members and relatives," Kudat OCPD DSP Dawi Ossen said.
He said 13 people survived the incident while the death toll remained at three.

"The search operation resumed this morning involving the marine police, police air wing, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, navy and army," he said here.

He said the search was now concentrated around the waters between Pulau Banggi and Pulau Muli Angin, about 20 nautical miles off here.

Earlier, Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, who is Kudat member of parliament, said he would ask for a report from all the related agencies on ways to improve the Kudat-Pulau Banggi ferry service.

"The ferry service is important especially to the people of Pulau Banggi to travel between the island and Kudat.

"We should ensure that the ferries are sufficient and regularly maintained," he said.

Earlier he received a briefing on the incident by Dawi at the Kudat police station and met Yahya Othman, 61, one of the survivors.

In the incident on Thursday, a boat carrying passengers from Kudat to Pulau Banggi, capsized in bad weather at about 5.30pm, an hour after leaving the Kudat jetty.

Most of the passengers were from a family of 21 people from Papar who were on their way to Pulau Banggi for the Aidiladha. -- BERNAMA