Port Klang boat capsize: Bodies of missing couple found, teen survivor recounts horror
KLANG: The bodies of a missing couple from the tragic boat capsize in the waters off Port Klang, Selangor, were found on Sunday (Jun 8) morning as the sole survivor recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the incident.
'The incident happened very fast,' 17-year-old Alvin Chang Yan Qin told the media on Saturday, a day after he was rescued.
According to Lieutenant Mohd Syafiq Sazali of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), patrol teams found the two missing bodies at around 7.45am on Sunday as search and rescue operations resumed, reported local news outlet the New Straits Times (NST).
'Both bodies were found floating, approximately 200m apart,' Syafiq told reporters after the victims' bodies were brought ashore at the Selangor MMEA Jetty.
They are the parents of a three-year-old boy who was earlier found dead along with two other Malaysians after the boat capsized on Friday afternoon.
Chang, the only survivor among the six, said that the tragedy happened when the boat made a U-turn about 30 minutes after departing from the Royal Selangor Yacht Club dock.
'The incident happened very quickly when the relatively fast-moving boat suddenly overturned and in less than 10 seconds, water had entered all compartments of the boat,' Chang said at the Selangor maritime agency office on Saturday, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today (FMT).
Selangor maritime director Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh earlier said that the boat was believed to have lost control before capsizing about 0.3 nautical miles west of Tanjung Harapan.
'The situation inside the boat became chaotic, but I saved myself by trying to swim before managing to sit on top of the overturned boat,' Chang added.
The teen told the media that he could only scream for help after realising he could no longer see the other passengers. About five minutes of holding on to the boat, fishermen in another boat rescued him, before calling the authorities for assistance.
The missing victims are believed to be test-driving the boat, which was recently repaired, NST reported earlier.
'I understand this was the second test run for the boat and before this the boat was found to be in overall good condition,' he was quoted as saying by FMT.
The final two victims were earlier identified as Gan Hon Tat, 32, and his wife Carren Man, 29, both from Klang Utama in Selangor. Their three-year-old son Darren Gan was among the three found dead in the front compartment of the boat, alongside family friends Cheu Son Hin, 50, and Fong Yong Sen, 29, also from Klang Utama.
It is still unclear how Chang, the only survivor, is related to the other victims.
When the boat was successfully refloated by rescuers on Saturday, the couple was not inside, said Port Klang Fire and Rescue Department Haikal Jammy Ngali at a press conference earlier on Saturday, according to Bernama.
This strengthened the fire department's theory that the missing victims drifted away with the current, he said.
Haikal also did not rule out the possibility that the married couple was thrown overboard during the capsize, FMT reported.
Police chief S Vijaya earlier said it is believed that all the victims were not wearing life jackets, which made the search-and-rescue effort more difficult. Initial investigations also found that the boat was operated by its owner at the time, he told FMT.
The boat is believed to belong to Cheu, according to The Star.
A woman who identified herself only as Hung, and claimed to be Cheu's widow, told The Star that the boat did not have any issues.
She said that the first test drive had gone smoothly and the boat capsized during the second attempt on Friday.
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CNA
16 hours ago
- CNA
Port Klang boat capsize: Bodies of missing couple found, teen survivor recounts horror
KLANG: The bodies of a missing couple from the tragic boat capsize in the waters off Port Klang, Selangor, were found on Sunday (Jun 8) morning as the sole survivor recounted the harrowing moments leading up to the incident. 'The incident happened very fast,' 17-year-old Alvin Chang Yan Qin told the media on Saturday, a day after he was rescued. According to Lieutenant Mohd Syafiq Sazali of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA), patrol teams found the two missing bodies at around 7.45am on Sunday as search and rescue operations resumed, reported local news outlet the New Straits Times (NST). 'Both bodies were found floating, approximately 200m apart,' Syafiq told reporters after the victims' bodies were brought ashore at the Selangor MMEA Jetty. They are the parents of a three-year-old boy who was earlier found dead along with two other Malaysians after the boat capsized on Friday afternoon. Chang, the only survivor among the six, said that the tragedy happened when the boat made a U-turn about 30 minutes after departing from the Royal Selangor Yacht Club dock. 'The incident happened very quickly when the relatively fast-moving boat suddenly overturned and in less than 10 seconds, water had entered all compartments of the boat,' Chang said at the Selangor maritime agency office on Saturday, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today (FMT). Selangor maritime director Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh earlier said that the boat was believed to have lost control before capsizing about 0.3 nautical miles west of Tanjung Harapan. 'The situation inside the boat became chaotic, but I saved myself by trying to swim before managing to sit on top of the overturned boat,' Chang added. The teen told the media that he could only scream for help after realising he could no longer see the other passengers. About five minutes of holding on to the boat, fishermen in another boat rescued him, before calling the authorities for assistance. The missing victims are believed to be test-driving the boat, which was recently repaired, NST reported earlier. 'I understand this was the second test run for the boat and before this the boat was found to be in overall good condition,' he was quoted as saying by FMT. The final two victims were earlier identified as Gan Hon Tat, 32, and his wife Carren Man, 29, both from Klang Utama in Selangor. Their three-year-old son Darren Gan was among the three found dead in the front compartment of the boat, alongside family friends Cheu Son Hin, 50, and Fong Yong Sen, 29, also from Klang Utama. It is still unclear how Chang, the only survivor, is related to the other victims. When the boat was successfully refloated by rescuers on Saturday, the couple was not inside, said Port Klang Fire and Rescue Department Haikal Jammy Ngali at a press conference earlier on Saturday, according to Bernama. This strengthened the fire department's theory that the missing victims drifted away with the current, he said. Haikal also did not rule out the possibility that the married couple was thrown overboard during the capsize, FMT reported. Police chief S Vijaya earlier said it is believed that all the victims were not wearing life jackets, which made the search-and-rescue effort more difficult. Initial investigations also found that the boat was operated by its owner at the time, he told FMT. The boat is believed to belong to Cheu, according to The Star. A woman who identified herself only as Hung, and claimed to be Cheu's widow, told The Star that the boat did not have any issues. She said that the first test drive had gone smoothly and the boat capsized during the second attempt on Friday.
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Boy, 3, among three dead as boat capsizes off Malaysia's Port Klang
Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency officials are searching for the missing couple. PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Boy, 3, among three dead as boat capsizes off Malaysia's Port Klang PORT KLANG, Selangor - A three-year-old boy was among three people who died after a boat capsized at sea on June 6. Selangor Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) director Captain Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh said the tragedy occurred 0.3 nautical miles west of Tanjung Harapan. The recovered remains include the boy, Darren Gan, and two others, Mr Cheu Son Hin, 50, and Mr Fong Yong Sen, 29. The child's parents, Mr Gan Hon Tat, 32, and Ms Careen Man, 29, from Klang Utama, are still missing. The sixth passenger, Mr Alvin Chang Yan Qin, 17, was rescued alive. 'Selangor MMEA is currently conducting a search and rescue operation for the couple,' said Captain Abdul Muhaimin, adding that the Maritime Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) Johor Bahru activated the rescue mission at 5.15pm on June 6. A search and rescue operations centre has been set up at the Selangor MMEA office to coordinate efforts. The Marine Police, MMEA, and Fire and Rescue Department are involved in the operations. Capt Abdul Muhaimin stated the Fire and Rescue Department would continue rescue work as Mr Gan and Ms Man may still be in the boat, which is partially covered in mud. 'The boat has been towed to the Selangor MMEA's floating jetty,' he added. Initial investigations suggest the boat may have capsized after losing control. 'Maritime Malaysia reminds the public to prioritise safety aspects when engaging in activities at sea. 'The use of safety jackets, monitoring weather conditions, and expertise in handling boats are essential considerations. 'Maritime Malaysia urges the public to pray for the safe rescue of the missing persons,' he added. Capt Abdul Muhaimin urged anyone with information about maritime emergencies to contact the Selangor MMEA operations centre at 03-3176 0627 or call the emergency line at 999. Meanwhile, Sekinchan Fishermen Association adviser Chia Tian Hee recently told The Star that the sea has become unpredictable. He noted that big waves now appear without warning, causing havoc for fishing boats. 'In the past, waves would start small, warning fishermen that the sea was about to become choppy, allowing them to return ashore. 'But now, big waves emerge suddenly and aggressively. There have been instances where fishing boats capsized, but luckily there were no fatalities,' Mr Chia said. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
3-year-old boy among 3 dead after boat capsizes off Port Klang, search ongoing for his missing parents
SHAH ALAM: A three-year-old boy is among three fatalities after a boat capsized in the waters off Port Klang in Malaysia. The boy's parents remain missing following the incident at about 4.30pm on Friday (Jun 6) involving six locals aged between three and 50, with only one confirmed survivor so far. Selangor Maritime Director Abdul Muhaimin Muhammad Salleh was quoted as saying by local media that the boat is believed to have lost control before capsizing about 0.3 nautical miles west of Tanjung Harapan. Search and rescue operations were suspended at 8pm on Friday and resumed at 7am on Saturday with the involvement of various government agencies, including the Marine Police Force and the Fire and Rescue Department. It is unclear why the six were out at sea on the boat. Video clips of the aftermath of the incident have circulated online, showing the capsized boat in the water and it later being tugged away. National news agency Bernama reported that the missing victims have been identified as Gan Hon Tat, 32, and his wife Careen Man, 29, both from Klang Utama, based on a statement by Abdul Muhaimin on Saturday. The couple were reported to be on the boat with their son, Darren Gan, aged three. "Investigations revealed that the child was found in the front section of the boat alongside an adult male, Cheu Son Hin, 50. Both were confirmed dead,' news outlet The New Straits Times quoted Abdul Muhaimin as saying. "Another male victim found dead at the scene was their friend, Fong Yong Sen, 29. The sole survivor has been identified as Chang Yan Qin, 17.' He added that the survivor was rescued by fishermen and the capsized boat was towed by another passenger boat to a jetty at the Selangor Maritime Headquarters.
