Body of victim in boat capsize tragedy in Sungai Kayan found -JBPM

KUCHING: The body of one of the three students who was reported missing in the boat capsize incident in Sungai Kayan, Lundu, about 72 km from here early yesterday morning was found by the search and rescue team (SAR), today.

Acting Sarawak Fire and Rescue director Tiong Ling Hii said the body of Vilkie Wilson, 15, was found floating about 10 metres from the Fire and Rescue Control Post in Kampung Selampit, near the river, at 11.58 this morning.

“The victim’s body was seen floating not far from the scene by the villagers. The body will be handed over to the police for follow-up and taken to Lundu Hospital,“ he said when contacted by Bernama.

Tiong said the rainy weather this morning made the SAR operation difficult because of the strong river current and the SAR operation was more focused on open surface searching within a radius of 3 kilometres (km) from the incident area.

“Based on observations by the scuba team, the condition of zero visibility in the river and strong currents, apart from the fear of the possible threat by wild animals, the search through diving has been temporarily suspended,“ he said.

Tiong said the operation is now focused on finding two more missing female victims, Alsma Jithil, 14, and Helena Fasha, 17.

In the 6.10 am incident, a boat carrying 20 people including two adult women, two adult men including the boat driver and 13 students sank in the Kayan River.

A total of 16 victims managed to swim to safety while another student was swept away by the river current a kilometre away from the incident site before being rescued by the villagers.