Tawau sea search called off as all on capsized boat accounted for

KOTA KINABALU: A sea search effort in Sabah’s Tawau district has been called off as 15 passengers and crewmen on board a capsized boat have been accounted for.

Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency Sabah and Labuan Laksamana Pertama Mohd Zubil Mat Som said the last to be found was 18-month-old toddler Nur Ainon Budiman.

Mohd Zubil said Nur Ainon’s body was found at Sungai Manurong in Indonesia at about 9am on Sunday.

Her parents, who was among the survivors of the capsized boat, subsequently identified their child based on the clothes she had been wearing.

Mohd Zubil added that Malaysian authorities have also confirmed that one of those listed as missing - Jako Rahaman - is safe at Sungai Nyamuk in Indonesia.

On Feb 8, a boat carrying 15 passengers capsized after it was hit by large waves while on a trip from Tawau to Sungai Nyamuk.

Out of the 15, five people survived the ordeal while the bodies of 10 others have since been recovered.

Meanwhile, Tawau police chief Asst Comm Fadil Marsun said they had arrested the 23-year-old boatman on Sunday to help them in their probe into the accident.

He said that the police were investigating the mishap under Section 304A of the Penal Code for causing death by negligence.