Sabah quake: Bad weather delays search for two missing S’poreans
Mr Mohammad Farhan Lee Abdullah, Ranau police chief, said in a press conference on June 8, 2015 that rescue missions by air and foot were suspended due to foggy conditions. Photo: Raj Nadarajan
KOTA KINABALU — As Singapore yesterday mourned the eight trekkers who were killed in Friday’s earthquake in Sabah, there was still no news of the two Singaporeans considered missing in the wake of the disaster.
Search-and-rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather. Ranau district police chief Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah said at a media conference that a team of 12 had set out on foot, but encountered poor visibility because of heavy fog despite using binoculars. He added that the team had set out to cover a 7.5km stretch, but had to abandon the search at the 6.8km mark.
On the challenges faced by the rescuers yesterday, Sabah Parks director Jamil Nais said rocks were still falling and tremors being felt. The rescuers also had to fight acute mountain sickness, he added.
Dr Jamil, who circled Mount Kinabalu in a helicopter yesterday, said most of the deaths had been caused by boulders that had fallen from the top of the mountain along the Via Ferrata route. Most of the damage was on the southern side of the mountain, with less damage seen on the west, east and north.
Search-and-rescue efforts were halted at 5.30pm yesterday and will resume at 6am today. The Malaysian authorities are also awaiting DNA test results for the body parts found, which have not been identified.
The two missing Singaporeans are Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) teacher Mohammad Ghazi Mohamed and student Navdeep Singh Jaryal Raj Kumar. Eight others from the Republic lost their lives in the quake and two of them, TKPS student Ameer Ryyan Mohd Adeed Sanjay and the adventure guide engaged by the school, Mohammad Daanish Amran, were buried yesterday after prayers at Ba’alwie Mosque.
The last remaining Singaporean student hospitalised in Kota Kinabalu was flown back yesterday.
Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu hospital chief executive Jean-Francois Naa was quoted by Malaysian media as saying that treatment was expected to take a few weeks and the decision to send the boy back home for continued treatment was made with Singapore’s KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He said the specialists at Gleneagles Kota Kinabalu had been discussing the boy’s progress and treatment options with the boy’s parents and relatives.
In Singapore, flags flew at half mast on the day of national remembrance. Spectators and athletes at all South-east Asian Games venues observed a minute of silence in respect for the dead, and some athletes made their way to the tribute centre at TKPS, as did government leaders including President Tony Tan, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat and Culture, Community and Youth Minister Lawrence Wong.
Mr Heng called on his colleagues to honour the spirit of the students on the trip. Sharing a note on Facebook he had sent to all teachers and other Education Ministry staff, Mr Heng said: “All the teachers of TKPS who were on the trip gave their best to watch over our children, and they deserve our greatest respect and gratitude. Our students tell of their teachers shielding them from falling rocks, and continuing to look after them despite their own injuries. Let us remember and live up to their selflessness and courage.
“We must also honour our children by remembering that they have been brave, rugged and tenacious, striving to bring out their personal bests, and excited about heading ever forward together with their schoolmates. Let us remember and draw hope from our children’s spirit to be the best they can be.” ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY ALFRED CHUA, KHAIRUL AMRI MOHD SIDIK
