Police: 5 passengers feared drowned

BELAGA: The third day of a search and rescue operation (SAR) which was mounted after an express boat sank at Giam Bungan, Rajang River near here on Tuesday, failed to raise the boat from the river.

Except for the body of a lumberjack which was found by a group of residents in Long Buyun Thursday morning, there was no sign of five passengers who are feared drowned.

So far, 197 passengers have been rescued by the SAR team.

Belaga State Assemblyman Liwan Lagang said the high water-level was among factors in the SAR team’s failure to salvage the boat.

The SAR operation was called off about 6pm Thursday, and would resume today at 7am, he told a media conference after chairing a rescue committee meeting last night.

Liwan, who is also joint operations director of the SAR operation, said the rescue team would try again to raise the boat, after the Bakun hydroelectric dam was closed, to reduce the water level.

Meanwhile, the state police have identified the five passengers who are feared drowned as follows:

1. Ejang Anak Nabau; 2. Maurice Anak Ajan; 3. Paulus; 4. Roslin Jati and 5. Simon Patrick