By DayakDaily Team
SIBU, Sept 11: A 64-year-old express boat owner is feared missing after his vessel collided with a cargo ship and sank near a plywood plant in Tanjung Kunyit on Tuesday evening (Sept 9).
According to a police report lodged by a crew member of cargo vessel MV Danum 3, the incident occurred at about 6.30pm when he noticed the express boat approaching while navigating through the river.
The crew slowed down the cargo vessel, but the express boat suddenly crossed its path and crashed into the bow of the ship.
The crew then stopped the vessel and used binoculars to scan the surroundings, spotting floating items believed to be from the sunken express boat. However, no passengers were seen.
A police report was subsequently lodged at Lanang Police Station for further action.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) Sibu Central later received information from police identifying the sunken vessel as New Boon Pang QSB 1842, which was transporting goods to longhouses along the Rejang and Pasin rivers.
Authorities confirmed that only one victim has been linked to the case, the owner of the New Boon Pang.
On Wednesday (Sept 10) at about 2.21pm, Lanang Police Station received another report from the victim’s child regarding the incident.
The Search and Rescue (SAR) operation entered its second day today (Sept 11), with Bomba leading efforts alongside the police, Civil Defence Force (APM), and other agencies. — DayakDaily
