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FAMILY TRAGEDY... relatives of Mazlan Zaini carrying his body out of the Kudat hospital for burial in Papar yesterday.
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29th November, 2009
KOTA KINABALU: Hopes of finding any survivors from Thursday’s wooden cargo vessel capsize is bleak as rescuers recovered three more bodies in the treacherous Banggi waters.
As of 3pm, searchers recovered the bodies of Mazlan Zaini, 40, at noon and his son, Akif, 6 at 1.30pm. They were from Kg Siputu, Papar.
Also found was the body of Haizum Nazira bte Sudin, 18, from Petagas at 2.55pm.
The bodies were found floating close to where the boat had capsized, officials said.
On Friday, the bodies of Hajah Ameng bte Nordin, 71, from Kg Sarapit, Papar and Suzana bte Saiman, 30, also from Papar were recovered.
All victims are family members and relatives of a former assemblyman Yahya Othman, 61.
Another 10 are still missing including Yahya’s daughter, Raihanah.
As hopes of rescuing the remaining missing people fade, an intensive search continues in the area along Pulau Banggi and Pulau Molleangan close to where the vessel had capsized at 8.30pm.
Kudat police chief Deputy Supt Dawi Ossen said yesterday that they had located the area where the boat had capsized near Pulau Molleangan about two nautical miles off Pulau Banggi.
Divers had gone into search around the ill-fated vessel but failed to find any persons trapped inside the vessel that had a total of 28 people including three crew members and 21 family members of Yahya.
Thirteen including the crew were rescued by passing fishermen after nearly six hours at sea after the vessel also laden with cement, fresh water and paint capsized.
Those listed missing are identified as Akhmal bin Sudin, Ain bte Masnan, Normah bte Jainih, Raihanah bte Yahya, Fatin bte Nadyah, Ainah bte Zaini, Atirah bte Mazlan, Zaza bte Mazlan and Zaidi Roy bin M. Syukur and one male identified only as Afif.
Yahya, a native of Banggi and former Berjaya era nominated assemblyman and his family members from Papar were heading to the island with his family to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha on Friday.
Yahya himself survived but told the story of how his daughter had slipped off his clutches and drifted away as he clung on to a wood piece before being rescued fishermen during the five to six hour ordeal at sea.
The search involved marine police, police air wing, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, navy and army.
Dawi said that police were questioning the skipper and crew of the 16m long boat.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Abdul Rahim Bakri, who is Kudat MP, said he would ask for a report from all the related agencies on the incident and wanted immediate steps to check on the safety of the boats plying the routes.
“The ferry service is important especially to the people of Pulau Banggi to travel between the island and Kudat. We should ensure that the ferries are sufficient and regularly maintained,” he said, adding that the waters of Banggi were dangerous for its currents.
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