KUALA LUMPUR: The authorities have uncovered a string of offences in a deadly boat capsize off two well-known resort islands in Terengganu last Saturday (Jun 28) that killed three people.
The travel agency and boat operator did not have valid licences and failed to ensure passengers wore life jackets, a minister said on Sunday, adding an investigation would be conducted into the fatal incident off Perhentian Islands.
The boatman also tested positive for drugs and has been arrested, said the district police chief of Besut in Terengganu state.
The boat, carrying 15 passengers aged between three and 40, capsized during a storm at around 10.30pm last Saturday near the islands off peninsula Malaysia’s northeastern coast. Two children aged three and 10 were among the three people who died.
“I am deeply angered and disappointed by the tragic boat capsize incident off Pulau Perhentian, which resulted in three deaths and nine injuries,” said Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Tiong King Sing in a statement, as quoted by media outlet New Straits Times (NST).
“I have instructed the ministry to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.”
Tiong said the licences of the agency and operator – which were not named – expired in April this year. The two parties also failed to ensure passengers onboard wore life jackets.
“Most alarmingly, the boatman tested positive for drugs in his urine test,” he added, as quoted in local media reports.
Besut district police chief Azamuddin Ahmad @ Abu said earlier on Sunday that the boat driver, who is in his 20s, has a record of five prior drug-related offences.
“The fact that the travel agency saw fit to hire such a person to ferry passengers at sea is a gross negligence of safety and a complete disregard for human lives,” Tiong added in his statement on Sunday.
„WE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR LIFE JACKETS“
The police have identified the deceased as S Arumugam, 40, his three-year-old daughter A Sarrvihka, and a 10-year-old relative, V Vennpani.
According to Arumugam’s wife, passengers had asked the boatman for life vests.
„We repeatedly asked for life jackets because it looked like it was going to rain and there were many children on board, but the boatman said they were wet and assured us it was a short trip,“ said A Sanggetha, 39, as quoted by NST.
Sanggetha said the family had gone to Pulau Perhentian Kecil for dinner with her husband’s friends and their families, and were taking a boat back to their resort at about 9pm.
„The weather looked threatening and we were worried for the children’s safety,“ Sanggetha told NST from her home in Taman Bayu Aman in Butterworth.
„Everything happened so fast. The sea was rough and I could not feel the seabed. I do not know how to swim but I tried to stay afloat.“
She has yet to decide whether to take action against the boat operator, reported NST.
Azamuddin said on Sunday that the 12 other people on the boat, including a six-year-old who was in critical condition, were rushed to Besut Hospital for treatment.
