Saturday October 13, 2007
Four drown after ferry catches fire (updated)
By TEH ENG HOCK
MERSING: Four people drowned and five others were injured when they jumped overboard a ferry, which caught fire, on the way to Tioman Island from Mersing on Saturday.
Mersing OCPD DSP Harun Arshad said fishing boats, tourist boats and the marine police, which was dispatched to the scene to rescue the 98 passengers following a distress call, plucked out 94 people and four dead bodies from the water.
Police have identified the dead as Hoo Lee Lan, 67, from Kuala Lumpur, Hong See Tiew, 53, and Teh Siew Lian, 52, both from Klang, and Tee Moi @ Haw Lee Maoi, 68, from Batu Pahat.
According to Johor police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Hussin Ismail, all 98 passengers jumped overboard when the ferry caught fire at about 12.30pm Saturday.
The police have identified the injured as Chong Ling Yi, seven, Ngow Lee Leng, 14, Lee Ling Yin, 35, and Yong Sait Yen, 26. Police could not confirm the identity of the fifth victim.
The five injured have been sent to the Mersing Hospital for treatment.
At the time of the fire, the ferry was about seven nautical miles from Tioman Islang, near Rompin, Pahang.
According to DSP Harun, police are still mounting a search and rescue operation to look for more survivors. He said, “We believe there could be a few more people onboard the ferry who were not listed on the passenger list.”
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