Sabah boat capsize claims seven lives

KOTA KINABALU: The death toll from Thursday’s boat capsize in Semporna has risen to seven with the bodies of two children having been recovered.

The last of the victims, Noranis Harimalam, 14, and a six-year-old identified only as Aiman, were found along the shore of Pulau Puno Puno by villagers at about 7.20am on Saturday.

Their remains had been transported back to mainland Semporna town for a post-mortem at the Semporna district hospital, according to a Fire and Rescue Services Department spokesman.

On Thursday, a boat with 21 people onboard, including infants, capsized in the waters off Pulau Tandoan about 4km from the mainland Semporna town at around 8.45pm.

Nearby villagers, who helped rescue 14 of the victims, also recovered five bodies – two women and three children – immediately after the boat capsized in choppy seas and bad weather.

The victims were all locals travelling between villages on the islands off Semporna.

Police arrested the boat’s 64-year-old skipper on Friday and are investigating the deaths due to negligence.

The search and rescue operations involving marine police, firemen and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) ended with the recovery of the last two bodies.

In an unrelated incident, MMEA is searching for angler Salvester Tiap, 43, who was thrown overboard with a friend Dolipin Telusu, 27, who drowned after their boat was overturned by strong waves in Makuou waters off Tungku in Lahad Datu.

Lahad Datu MMEA commander Nik Mohd Rizam Nik Mohd Fauzi said the incident occurred late Thursday evening.

Dolipin’s body was found 100m away from the incident and handed over to the police.

The two anglers were on a fibreglass boat when they were thrown off and swept away by strong currents, he said.

Nik Mohd Rizam added that the search and rescue operation was ongoing.