Belaga boat incident: 3 Thai monks roped in to search for victims

On the ninth day of the search and rescue operation for victims of the Kawan Mas express boat incident, three Buddhist monks, who were brought in from Wan Velurachin in Thonburi, Bangkok, participated in the search, reports Bernama.

Phra Maha Lamphua, 44, Phra Maha Precha, 41, and Phra Maha Songsak, 69, arrived on Monday. They were brought in by the boat owners to help in the search for the victims, according to Buddhist rituals.

Songsak said rituals were performed to seek help from the "Mountain God" and "River God" to release and transfer the spirit of the victims, who are believed to be dead, to "heaven".

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Belaga tragedy: Attempts to refloat boat unsuccessful

Operations on the ninth day of the attempts to refloat the ‘Kawan Mas’ express boat, which sank in the Rajang River last week, were again aborted and it has been put on hold again today.

The failure raised questions whether the current team should be changed to those with more ‘expertise’ and knowledge of the best methods to deal with the situation.

Since the first day of the tragedy, apart from search and rescue (SAR) operations, various efforts were made to refloat the capsized boat including by using two barges to pull the boat, but to no avail.

Today, attempts were made since 9am by police and fire and rescue department diver teams where according to the initial plan, the team would fix a cable from the mainland to the cable that was tied on both doors of the boat, before the cable was pulled using a winch chain from two tractors borrowed from a logging company.

But until the operation was postponed at 5.30pm today, attempts to float the boat were still unsuccessful and were put on hold again.

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Body of toddler in second boat capsize in Sarawak found Read more: Body of toddler in second boat capsize in Sarawak found -

The mother of the victim Dora Ugat, 32 is comforted by her husband, Abun Meden, 40 after the body of their daughter, Cristian Lagie was found by villagers about 500m from where the boat sank at Kampung Ensika, Sebuyau.

Rescuers today found the body of 14-month old Cristian Lagie who went missing after the boat he was travelling in sank in choppy waters of Sungai Rajang near Kampung Skitong here yesterday.

His body was found about 500 metres from the site in Kampung Ensika, Sebuyau.

This is the second incident of a capsizing boat in Sarawak after the Kawan Mas boat tragedy.

The toddler was travelling with his parents - Abun Meden, 40, and Dora Ugat, 32, and 12 others from Kampung Tungkah Melayu to Kampung Ensika when the boat overturned and he was swept away by raging waters.

The remaining passengers - six adults and eight children - were saved as they managed to don their lifejackets

Survivors recall anxious moments

Matan sat on the roof of the boat as the hull was packed to the brim. As the express boat sunk, he scrambled and swam to safety, leaving his belongings behind.

“The boat was travelling at a normal speed when it suddenly rammed into a large timber log. The juragan (skipper) lost control of the boat due to the strong impact. The boat then hit a large rock in the water,” said the 50-year-old survivor, who only wanted to be known as Matan.

The collision, he added, resulted in the boat tilting to one side, which caused it to sink.
How it happened: Matan telling of is ordeal. How it happened: Matan telling of is ordeal.

This caused panic to the passengers inside the boat and also those sitting on the roof. Some of them smashed the side glass window to escape, he said.

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11 passengers still missing, 179 survivors

Survivors of an overturned boat accident are seen on a riverbank of Rajang River in Belaga, Sarawak State on Borneo Island, 28 May 2013. An overcrowded river ferry capsized 28 May in eastern Malaysia, leaving an unknown number of people feared missing. Some passengers swam to safety but more might be trapped inside the boat.



Survivors' accounts say 11 passengers are still missing in the express boat accident in the Rajang River near Belaga yesterday while 179 others managed to swim to shore as at this morning, said Sarawak Police of Commisioner Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani.

He said the search and rescue (SAR) operation involving 100 personnel from the police, fire services, health department, welfare department and Kapit Resident's Office, 11 rescue boats and 18 divers were still continuing at the accident spot, at the Jeram Tukok/Jeram Bungan, about four hours journey upriver from Sibu.

"We have yet to confirm if those still missing are trapped in the sunken express boat or have been swept away by the swift river currents upriver," he told reporters on the sidelines of the Sarawak state legislative assembly sitting here.

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Overloading continues despite boat tragedy

Despite the tragedy a day earlier, express boat operators in Kapit continue to overload their boats with people and goods on Wednesday as folks find their way back to the hometowns for the weekend Gawai celebrations.


The boats are still being overloaded with people and goods a day after one capzised along Balui river leaving 14 people still missing.

And the rush home for the weekend Gawai celebrations has added pressure on the situation.

The scene at the jetty here on Wednesday was a serious cause for concern.

There were parents carrying babies and passengers bringing at least two bags on board the boat. Even a heavy generator set was seen among the belongings. Officials from the Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) were helpless to control the situation.

The ticket price had also doubled due to the demand. Most of the passengers were aware of Tuesday's tragedy but said they had no choice but to take the river boat.

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