SIBU: The search operation for four missing victims of the longboat that capsized in Sungai Batang Baleh in Kapit division on Thursday found three bodies today, two over 100 kilometres (km) from where the boat capsized.
Kapit Fire and Rescue Station chief Timothy Barat said two victims were successfully identified as Sgt Jonathan Lambert, 51 and Jack Balan, 45.
“Sgt Jonathan’s body was found floating near the Kapit express boat terminal at 4.02 pm and was handed over to the police for further action. His pistol was found with him,” he told Bernama when contacted tonight, adding that Jack Balan was the first victim found by the public in the waters of Pulau Kerto, Sibu, over 100 km away from the location of the incident, at around 11 am and was identified by his wife before being sent to Sibu Hospital for further action.
The third body was discovered by the public around 11 am in the waters near Bintangor but drifted away and was found again in Batang Lebaan, nearly 200 km away by a marine police team at around 5 pm, he said, adding that search operations were suspended for the day at 6.30 pm with another victim yet to be found.
Five people were on the boat that capsized on Thursday afternoon, including two police personnel from the Kapit district police headquarters, Sgt Jonathan Lambet, and Constable Iskandar Ibrahim, along with civilians Amerson John Nain, 47, Jack Balan, 45, and Moses Ngui, 47, who was rescued by the public when the boat capsized. – Bernama
