SHAH ALAM: Police are tracking down the owner and crew of a fishing boat who allegedly failed to retrieve the body of a victim from the boat tragedy in the waters off One Fathom Bank, near Pulau Ketam, Klang, to have their statements recorded as part of investigations.
Selangor police chief Comm Datuk Shazeli Kahar said police were still investigating the matter.
He said based on statements and accounts recorded from witnesses, there was a possibility that the body belonged to a different individual and was not from the same group of anglers.
“This is because identification could not be carried out at the time due to the condition of the body,” he said at a press conference here on Wednesday (Sept 23).
He was commenting on claims by the victim’s family questioning why the body was not retrieved when four survivors of the boat tragedy were found.
This followed the circulation of a video showing four anglers involved in the boat tragedy being rescued, while a body found with them was not taken aboard the fishing boat.
In the Sept 13 tragedy involving a group of anglers fishing for scad, the four survivors were Mohd Shairazi Abdul Aziz, 43, Mohd Rizal Mohamad Sadali, 45, Muhd Hamiszar Punirain, 45, and the boat skipper, Zulfikalnain Awang, 47.
Two victims were confirmed dead – Mohd Shahril and Muhammad Ridzuan Ruhaizat, 37 – while Raja Mohd Rozi Raja Mohamud, 49, remains missing.
Comm Shazeli said, police had recorded statements from the boat tragedy survivors as of Tuesday (Sept 22), although several individuals, particularly other witnesses, had yet to have their statements recorded as their health conditions did not permit it.
“Police are working to complete the investigation, including tracing the fishermen and the owner of the boat that was allegedly involved.
“We are working to obtain the information needed and complete the investigation,” he said.
