Young lives lost in Batang Kayan

‘Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them.”

I was at a CCK outlet when I overheard the cashier say, ”The news is heartbreaking to read. It must be affecting the teachers badly.” She was talking to her colleague.
I could not resist chipping in,” You mean the Lundu boat tragedy?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“Sure, “I said,” It must be traumatic for the teachers and students.”

Kampung Selampit in Lundu was in the news recently because three students from the village drowned when their boat capsized as they were on their way to school.

They were students of SMK Senibong and described by their principal as promising students.

The boat capsized on Tuesday, August 20, at around 6.10 am.

The death toll could have been higher if 10 other students had not been saved by a heroic 53-year-old man, Louis Joph, who heard their cries for help.

Louis was on his way to take his child to school and his mother to the hospital for dialysis.

Despite wearing jeans, he immediately jumped into the Kayan River and swam.

After finding a crying child clinging to a plank, he went in search of an unlocked boat and used it to save other victims clinging to the roof of the capsized boat.

But he was unable to save the three students who were eventually swept away by strong currents and drowned because the boat was already full.

Louis cried because he could not save the two female students, Alsma Jithil, 14, and Helena Fasha Petrus, 14, and the male student, Vilkie Wilson, 15.

A total of 15 students (seven boys and eight girls), one adult woman and the male boat operator were rescued.

That morning, besides the passengers, the boat was also carrying a motorcycle. Could it have been overloaded?
And was the boat well maintained?

As pointed out by Sarawak Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Lee Kim Shin, the three students who drowned were not wearing life jackets. Perhaps the other passengers were not wearing them too.

Lee blamed the tragedy on the boat operator’s negligence in ignoring the importance of life jackets.

The minister assured a detailed probe would be carried out and appropriate actions taken to prevent similar incidents.

Lee pointed out such negligence happened not only in Kampung Selambit but also in other villages in the state.

“That is what we have been stressing and we have conducted many safety campaigns in Sarawak,” he added.

Many rural students in the country use boats to go to school. Boats are a common form of transport for those who live by the river.

If there are bridges, they will use them instead of boats. During the rainy season, boats are not that safe because of the strong currents in the river.

The Lundu boat tragedy has drawn attention to the dire need for a bridge across Batang Kayan between Kampung Bitokan and Selampit.

Opar assemblyman Billy Sujang said construction of the RM27.94 million new bridge was expected to start next month.

He said the contract had been given out and the contractors appointed.

It is hoped that the bridge will be built as soon as possible for the safety of students and villagers in Kampung Selampit and other nearby areas.

In the meantime, boat operators must have life jackets for their passengers. Those who cannot afford them should ask either their area representatives or the government to sponsor the life jackets.

All boats should be properly maintained and should not be overloaded with motorcycles or people. The relevant agency should conduct periodic checks on the boats to make sure that the boat operators abide by the rules.

For saving 10 young lives, I think heroic Louis Joph deserves a special medal and cash award. He had jumped into Batang Kayan in his pair of jeans without thinking of his safety.

Meanwhile, the three students who drowned were laid to rest at Kampung Selampit cemetery on August 23. Alsma and Helena were buried side by side according to the Baha’i faith while Vilkie was buried after a service at St Gregory Catholic Church.

The students were mourned by their teachers, classmates, relatives, villagers and Opar assemblyman.

Their untimely deaths touch the hearts of many Sarawakians including yours truly even though we know our lives are in God’s hands.

Rest in peace, young man and woman.

The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Sarawak Tribune.