Investigation continues after fatal Mersing boat collision
A 33-year-old boat operator has been remanded for four days as police investigate a collision between two passenger boats in Kuala Sungai Mersing that killed two people last Sunday.
Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad said the local man was arrested by a Criminal Investigation Division team of the Mersing district police headquarters at about noon on Tuesday (Sept 1) to assist in the investigation. The suspect was brought before the Kota Tinggi Magistrate's Court, which granted a four-day remand from Sept 2 to 5 under Section 117 of the Criminal Procedure Code, he said.
According to Ab Rahaman, an initial urine test on the suspect was negative for drugs, but 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 and Section 280 of the Penal Code for rash navigation of a vessel. Section 304A carries a maximum prison sentence of two years, a fine, or both upon conviction, while Section 280 provides for a prison term of up to six months, a maximum fine of RM2,000, or both, the police chief said. He added that the investigation is being conducted concurrently with an inquest into the deaths.
Collision details
The collision occurred on Monday (Aug 31) night about 800m from the Sungai Mersing jetty. The two boats involved 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 were aboard Rawa Birds when the boats collided at the river mouth.
The impact resulted in the death of the 38-year-old Sea Queen boat operator and a 32-year-old local male passenger at the scene, Ab Rahaman said. Seven other victims were injured, with three receiving treatment at Mersing Hospital, three at Sultan Ismail Hospital and one at Pasir Gudang Hospital. Most of the passengers aboard the Sea Queen suffered more serious injuries compared with those on the other boat, he added.
The Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call at 9.04 pm, and nine personnel from the Mersing Fire and Rescue Station were dispatched to the Mersing Jetty.
Licence and SOP compliance under scrutiny
Police are also investigating whether the operators of both boats complied with licensing requirements and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Ab Rahaman said investigators would check whether both operators had valid permits to carry passengers and whether they adhered to the stipulated operating hours for boats in the waters.
"Besides obtaining statements from the survivors to assist in the investigation, we will also record statements from various parties, including the rescue teams and those who first arrived at the scene," he said after inspecting the boats at Kampung Pangkalan Batu. He added that police would seek assistance from the Chemistry Department to help determine the impact of the incident.
The police chief said he could not yet officially confirm whether both boats had valid permits or licences to carry passengers. He also stated that he has yet to examine the specific conditions attached to the licences and therefore cannot make further statements at this point. Investigators are looking into whether the operators complied with all conditions and relevant safety regulations, he said.
Ab Rahaman urged the public not to speculate or spread unverified information regarding the incident and to give the authorities time to complete a thorough investigation.
A sudden death report has been classified in connection with the incident.