BETONG: The body of the boat skipper has been recovered following a tragic capsizing incident on Sungai Krian near the Kaba Ferry jetty in Saratok.
Search and rescue teams discovered the 25-year-old local man’s body at 9.37 am yesterday, according to a spokesman for the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department Operations Centre.
“Three others are still missing, all of whom are Indonesian workers,” the spokesman confirmed in an official statement.
The department initially received an emergency call reporting the incident at 6.13 pm on Thursday.
A response team from the Saratok Fire and Rescue Station was immediately deployed to the location approximately 56 kilometres away.
All ten individuals on board were employees of the same company travelling from their worksite at Sesang jetty towards Pusa jetty.
The boat capsized mid-river, prompting six Indonesian passengers to save themselves by clinging to a nearby barge.
These six survivors were subsequently rescued by another boat that responded to the emergency.
The search and rescue operation formally commenced at 7.40 am yesterday with the establishment of an Incident Control Post at the Kaba Ferry jetty.
A comprehensive briefing involving multiple relevant agencies and local villagers preceded the active search efforts. – Bernama