Dragon boat run carried out at students’ request, inquest told

GEORGE TOWN: The training session held the day the dragon boat tragedy occurred was an unscheduled one, an inquest heard.

Lim Choo Hooi, chairman of the Penang Forward Sports Club that assisted the Chung Ling High School’s dragon boat club, said the training was carried out at the request of the students who said the club’s newly appointed teacher adviser had wanted to join in the session.

“It was supposed to be our club’s own training. But I was told by the club’s assistant coach Yee Bee Fatt that the students had contacted him, saying the adviser had wanted to join them,” he told the Coroner’s Court here yesterday.

The inquest was held to establish how the tragedy, which killed five pupils and a teacher from Chung Ling High School, had occurred.

The six, who were among 18 people on board the boat, drowned after the vessel crashed into a barge in the sea off Macallum Street Ghaut.

Lim was replying to a question by Dr Chiah Tin San, the father of Cheah Zi Jun, 17, who was killed during the incident.

Dr Chiah had earlier questioned the rationale of holding the training session during the north-east monsoon season, adding that to his knowledge, any sporting activity in the sea was most likely to be carried out after the monsoon season.

Lim said the monsoon season or the tides were never an issue for dragon boat training, adding that the coaches would check sea conditions and weather before training began.

He also told the court that they had opted to use the site where the tragedy occurred because the coast was protected from any occurrence tsunamis and the waves were not so strong.

“We have been training there for three years. Geographically, this is one of the safest stretches we could source for.

“Many other shorelines are privately owned and we did not have access,” he said.

At the inquest, a teary-eyed Lim also apologised to the victims’ family members over the tragic incident.

“Let’s not blame anybody over this. The inquest is meant to reveal the truth,” he said.

The inquest was also told that the water current off Macallum Street Ghaut, where the training was held, was volatile due to the approaching full moon.

Indonesian Saiful Azhar, 49, who works and stays on board a ship moored near the site of the tragedy for the past 11 years, testified he had experienced the unpredictable changes in climate and water currents.

He said the tides would be at their highest, especially on the day in question as it was approaching full moon.

“I remember the water was ebbing swiftly that day. And since it was approaching full moon, water currents would be swift, irrespective of whether it was rising or ebbing,” he testified.

He recalled that on that tragic day, the waves were not strong and the water was fine when he took the motorboat with two others to go to the shore to buy breakfast and cigarettes. But on his way back at about 9am, the currents were swift and the wind had started to blow strongly.

Saiful, from Bandar Aceh, said he noticed several students out at sea waving frantically when he was about to dock at the ship.

“I immediately rushed to the site which was about 50m away. I managed to pull seven of them to safety before sending them to shore,” he said.

A total of 15 witnesses have testified before Coroner Noor Aini Yusof.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Suhaimi Ibrahim, Tan Guat Cheng and Pang Chuin Keat are assisting in the inquest while counsel Tham Shein Shyong and Lau Jun Yi represented the school. The inquest continues today.