SIBU: The six people missing in the South China Sea off the coast of Pantai Belawai in central Sarawak after a boat they were in capsized on Saturday have all been found drowned.
The bodies, comprising five adult men and a small boy, were found by search and rescue teams and villagers along the shoreline, said the Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department today.
“All the bodies of the victims have been found,“ it said in its latest update.
The incident at 2pm last Saturday had occurred off the popular beach in Sibu district after 17 Indonesian nationals were cramped into the fibreglass boat.
They were travelling from Kampung Belawai, a local Malay village about 22km from Sibu town, after having bought groceries and essential items for themselves.
They were headed for the Zion Pelita Coconut Plantation jetty along the same coastline. All oft them are families of workers living and working in the plantation.
An initial probe by the Fire and Rescue Department showed that the vessel with the 17 on board was also loaded with the other cargoes when it overturned in the sea.
Four victims – two adult women, a small boy and a small girl – were found drowned by Saturday evening.
Two adult women, four adult men and a small boy were rescued alive that same afternoon.
