SARATOK: The bodies of three foreigners who went missing on Friday were recovered yesterday (Sept 28), ending the search for victims of a boat tragedy that claimed four lives.
The Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) said the victims — identified as Gunawan Pawadi, 35, Budianto Yapani, 50, and Karyono, 41 — were found between 10.10 am and 10.45 am during the second day of the search-and-rescue (SAR) operation.
Their bodies were recovered by teams comprising Bomba, police, Civil Defence Force (APM), and local villagers, and later sent to the hospital for further action.
Following the discoveries, the search operation was officially called off at 11.10 am after all victims were accounted for.
The tragedy unfolded on Friday at around 5.30 pm when 10 workers of ZCCC Construction (M) Sdn Bhd were crossing Sungai Krian by boat from Sesang Jetty to Pusa Jetty after work. The vessel capsized midway, throwing all aboard into the river.
Six Indonesian men, aged between 20 and 50, managed to survive by clinging to a barge before being rescued by another boat, while four others went missing.
On Saturday, the body of Malaysian skipper Mohd Asfar Sulaiman, 25, had been recovered, making him the first victim to be found.
Firefighters from Saratok station led the operation with assistance from the Sarawak Bomba’s K9 Unit, police, APM, and villagers using nine boats.
