KOTA TINGGI: The boat capsize tragedy involving 44 illegal immigrants returning to Indonesia to celebrate Aidilfitri that happened 12.7 nautical miles from Tanjung Siang here on Thusday night resulted because of panicking passengers.
One of the surviviors, Edey Muliadi, 26, who worked as a tractor operator in Puchong near Kuala Lumpur, said an hour after their boat left it was hit by big waves.
“We panicked and gathered on one side of the boats which caused it to tilt and capsize.
“On falling into the sea I heard people and children screaming in the dark,” he said when met at the Tanjung Sedili Marine Operations Force (MOF) base here yesterday.
He said moments later, it started to rain and they (passengers) tried to cling on to the overturned boat but it sank after a few minutes because it could not handle their combined weight.
Edey said he and three other passengers managed to cling on to two 10-litre petrol drums and swim away. Though scalded in the chest, abdomen and hands by hot petrol that spilled from the drums, he said his only thoughts were on staying alive.
“Once in a while, small fish would take bites at my wounded areas and it was very painful but for the sake of my family I was determiend to survive,” he said.
He and the three others were rescued by local fishermen about 15 hours later.
Mohamad Saiful Bahari Nur, 34, another of the survivors, said he paid RM1,300 as fare to return to his village in Lombok via Batam.
“We had to walk in the dark in very cold water for about 15 minutes from the beach to board the waiting boat,” he said, adding that he came to know about the illegal service from a friend.
A plantation worker in Taiping, Perak, he said this was the first time in 13 years he was returning home to celebrate Aidilfitri after having promised to do so with his family and friends.
“I badly wanted to meet my mother who has been looking after my children following the death of my wife two years ago.
The other two survivors were Mustafa Ali, 31, and Tajul Abdullah, 34.
The Search and Rescue (SAR) operation for the missing is still ongoing and involves two ships, eight speed boats and two helicopters from the MOF, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Royal Malaysian Navy and the Royal Malaysian Air Force. — Bernama