KUCHING: Four students who were in a boat that sank in Sungai Kayan at Kampung Selampit, Lundu, on Monday (Aug 20) morning survived by holding on to a wooden plank before being rescued.
The boat was ferrying 20 students from SMK Senibong to school when the incident occurred at about 6.10am.
One of the survivors, Alfiyana Recha, said the boat sank when it was in the middle of the river after water started entering from the front.
"Everyone tried to save themselves. I felt myself being pulled into the river. Then I came across a plank from the boat and four of us held on to it until the villagers saw us and rescued us," she told reporters.
The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department's operations division assistant director Henderi Ardimansyah said villagers managed to rescue 16 passengers while another victim was found safe.
"Three more victims are still missing and we are conducting a search and rescue operation for them," he was reported as saying by RTM.
The three missing students have been identified as Alsma Jithil, 14, Helena Fasha Petrus, 17, and Vilkie Wilson, 15.
Alfiyana, 13, also said Alsma is her cousin.
"I called out to her, 'don't go too far away,' but we were being pulled by the current," she said.
