Regatta training accident: S’wak police chief urges paddlers to wear life jackets, public boats to slow down

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By Karen Bong

KUCHING, Oct 19: Paddlers training for the regatta along the river are strongly urged to put on life jackets to enhance their safety and improve their chances of survival in the event of an accident.

Sarawak Police Commissioner Dato Mancha Ata noted that although paddlers typically do not wear life jackets during training, he emphasised it is crucial for water-related activities, as accidents can turn deadly.

“I advise participants to wear life jackets, even during training. In case of an incident, life jackets can increase their chances of survival by keeping them afloat.

“These athletes are often exhausted after hours of training, sometimes under intense heat. If something unexpected happens, they could panic. A life jacket could make all the difference,” he told a press conference during a visit to the search and rescue (SAR) operation base at the Royal Bay Commercial Centre, Jalan Buruh Bintawa today.

This came following a tragic accident yesterday (Oct 18), when a boat carrying 15 paddlers overturned and capsized during a regatta training session on the Sarawak River. While 11 paddlers managed to swim to safety, five members of the Sarawak Security and Enforcement Unit (UKPS) team from the Premier’s Department remain missing.

The accident occurred at around 3.47pm when a fishing boat coming from the opposite direction generated a wave that caused water to flood the paddlers’ boat, leading to its sinking.

In response to the incident, Mancha also urged boats and vessels along the Sarawak River to exercise caution and reduce speed when near training boats to avoid creating dangerous waves.

“The riverway isn’t closed at the moment, but I hope other vessels will slow down. Be mindful of smaller boats to prevent similar accidents,” he said.

He further highlighted the importance of having a monitoring boat accompany training sessions, as is typically arranged by event organisers.

“This allows rescue efforts to begin immediately in case of an accident,” he added.

Meanwhile, search efforts for the five missing paddlers have been ongoing since 6am, involving 12 agencies and 127 personnel. Assets such as drones, advanced sonar imaging technology, and boats are being used to comb the river across a 10-kilometre radius from the accident site, extending downriver to the barrage.

Divers from the Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sarawak have conducted six dives, but no positive signs of the victims have been found so far. — DayakDaily

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