Two killed, four injured in boat collision off Mersing; boat operator nabbed
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The two boats collided in Mersing waters near the Customs Jetty on Aug 31.
PHOTO: ST FILE
- Two boats collided near Mersing Customs Jetty on Aug 31 night, resulting in two deaths and four injuries among six people on board.
- Rescue teams arrived promptly, treated the injured, and handed over the deceased to the police for further action.
- The cause of the collision is under investigation, with the police promising updates as the inquiry progresses.
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MERSING – Two people were killed while four others were injured after two boats collided in Mersing waters near the Customs Jetty here on the night of Aug 31.
Mersing Fire and Rescue Station operations commander Mohamed Zainuddin Ahmad said the department received an emergency call about the incident at 9.04pm.
He said nine personnel, assisted by a fire rescue tender and a fire response vehicle, were dispatched to the scene, about 3km from the station.
“Upon arrival, the operation team found that the accident involved two boats carrying a total of six people.
“Four of the victims were injured while two others were confirmed dead by Health Ministry personnel,” he said.
The two boats in the Mersing River collision were the Sea Queen, which was returning from Pulau Besar, and Rawa Birds, which had just departed from the jetty for Pulau Rawa.
The Sea Queen was carrying six people while three people were aboard Rawa Birds when the collision occurred at the river mouth.
Zainuddin said the injured victims were handed over to personnel from the health ministry for treatment while the bodies of the two victims were handed over to the police for further action.
He said the operation was ongoing and the cause of the collision was still under investigation.
Police have arrested a 33-year-old boat operator over an investigation into the collision involving two boats that left two people dead and four others injured in Mersing waters.
Johor police chief Ab Rahaman Arsad said the man, a local operating one of the boats involved, was arrested at about noon on Sept 1.
“An initial urine test on the suspect was negative for drugs. A check found he has a criminal record involving a narcotics offence.
The case is being investigated under Section 304A of the Penal Code for causing death by negligence. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
