BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: A speedboat carrying 12 passengers, including a child from Sundar, Lawas heading to Limbang, sank while navigating through Brunei waters at midday on Friday (Jan 2).
All passengers were unharmed and sought shelter at a pillar under the Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge before the boat sank.
According to a report from Malaysia, Limbang Police Chief DSP Parum Niot said the speedboat was en route from Sundar, Lawas to Limbang at about 10am, carrying 12 passengers, a boat driver, and a crew member.
He said the driver and crew managed to contact the boat owner after the boat was damaged by strong waves.
“They also managed to alert a passenger boat from Limbang to assist in transporting the passengers as the speedboat had begun leaking. All the passengers were reported to be safe and took shelter under the Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Bridge before the boat eventually sank,” he said in a statement on Saturday.
Following the incident, Parum said that Brunei’s marine police brought the boat driver and crew to the Muara police station to record their statements.
“Meanwhile, all passengers were taken to Limbang aboard another passenger boat. The driver and crew were later sent back by the Brunei Marine police to the Sundar estuary, where they were picked up by a village boat,” he added.
Parum said that the Brunei police also assisted in towing the damaged boat to Kampung Limpaku Pinang in Limbang. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
