3-year-old boy among 3 dead after boat capsizes off Port Klang, search ongoing for his missing parents
The incident on Friday (Jun 6) evening involved six locals aged between three and 50, with only one confirmed survivor so far.
A screenshot from a YouTube video showing the capsized boat off Port Klang. (YouTube/Zuanhardie Family)
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.
While the boat was successfully refloated by rescuers on Saturday, the couple was not inside, said Port Klang Fire and Rescue Department head Haikal Jammy Ngali in an update at a press conference, as reported by Bernama.
This strengthened the fire department's theory that the missing victims drifted away with the current, he said.
The search and rescue operation was suspended at 7pm on Saturday and will resume on Sunday morning, reported Bernama.
"So far, the rescue team has only carried out surface search-level as opposed to deep diving because the fire department has not been able to ascertain the exact location of the capsize," said Ngali.
The refloated boat will be taken to the Port Klang Marine Police base for further inspection and investigation, including technical aspects, said North Klang police chief ACP S Vijaya Rao at the press conference.
He said the police had not found any clues regarding the missing victims, despite the search radius covering an area of five nautical miles.
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.
"Malaysian Maritime also reminds the public to prioritise safety when undertaking any maritime activities, including wearing life jackets and monitoring weather conditions."
The survivor was rescued by fishermen and the capsized boat was towed by another passenger boat to a jetty at the Selangor Maritime Headquarters.
