SIBU: The search operation for four missing victims of the longboat that capsized in Sungai Batang Baleh in Kapit on Thursday (March 7) found three bodies on Saturday (March 9), two more than 100km from where the boat capsized.
Kapit Fire and Rescue station chief Timothy Barat said the two of the victims were successfully identified as Sjn Jonathan Lambert, 51, and Jack Balan, 45.
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"Sjn Jonathan’s body was found floating near the Kapit express boat terminal at 4.02pm Saturday and was handed over to the police for further action.
"His pistol was found with him,” he told Bernama when contacted, adding that Balan was the first victim found by the public in the waters of Pulau Kerto, Sibu, more than 100km away from the location of the incident, at around 11am.
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He added that the victim was identified by his wife before being sent to Sibu Hospital for further action.
The third body was discovered by the public around 11am Saturday in the waters near Bintangor but drifted away and was found again in Batang Lebaan, nearly 200km away, by a marine police team at around 5pm, he said, adding that search operations were suspended for the day at 6.30pm Saturday with another victim yet to be found.
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Five people were on the boat that capsized on Thursday afternoon, including two police personnel from the Kapit district police headquarters, Sjn Jonathan Lambet, and Konst Iskandar Ibrahim, along with civilians Amerson John Nain, 47, Jack Balan, 45, and Moses Ngui, 47, who was rescued by the public when the boat capsized. -Bernama
