Triso tragedy: 4WD believed fallen from ramp, not ferry, says Masing.

Masing (second right) looking at the ill-fated vehicle, with (from left) Razi, Julaihi and Razaili (right).

KUCHING (Jan 2): Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing today urged netizens and the public not to speculate on the cause of the Triso ferry ramp accident that claimed nine lives on new year’s day.

He said to let the police and other authorities carry out their investigations to find out what actually happened.

Masing said he was earlier briefed by Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Ports Development Datuk Julaihi Narawi and the ferry operator that it was a self accident, and what could have happened was that the ill-fated vehicle might have overshot the ramp before losing control and falling into the Batang Lupar river.

“The car fell off the ferry ramp, not the ferry. Therefore, it is not the ferry operator’s fault. What actually happened, we still don’t know, the car (wreckage) is still there.

“For all you know there might have been a mechanical problem, we cannot answer that. Let the police investigate,” he said.

Apart from offering his most heartfelt condolences to the family of the victims on behalf of the state government, he also thanked members of the public who were at the scene when it happened trying to save the victims from the submerged vehicle.

“It shows that we in Sarawak care so much for each other. They have tried their best, but with bare hands alone you cannot lift the vehicle.

“I appreciate it very much and I thank you for all those who have tried their very best to assist. As far as I can see the videos (of the public helping) have been viraled (in social media) since yesterday,” said Masing.

Apart from Julaihi, accompanying Masing were Saribas assemblyman Mohammad Razi Sitam and Beting Maro assemblyman Razaili Ghapor.

According to a Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) spokesperson yesterday, they received a distress call on Friday around 3.14pm regarding the incident.

Bomba personnel were dispatched from the Simunjan station about 62km away, and the Saratok station about 98km away from the site of the incident.

A live Facebook video depicting the aftermath of the incident has since gone viral on social media.

The heartwrenching video shared by Facebook account owner Dyg Junailah Leyent depicted members of the public working together to recover the nine bodies trapped inside the pickup truck with the help of a ferry and a bulldozer.

The seven minute 15 second-long video showed scenes of several men and women, including small children, appearing to be unconscious with CPR being performed on some of them.

The Bomba spokesperson said the Saratok Fire and Rescue Department team arrived first at the location and confirmed that the incident involved a purple Ford Ranger with nine passengers — five males and four females — the youngest being an infant, only four-months-old.

The deceased are Siti Aisha Abdullah (36), Nor Shuhada Mohamad (16), Khairunnisa Muhamad (14), Muhd Mustaqim Mohd Hamdan (5), Mohd Aiman Mohd Hamdan (7), Mohd Ahmad Mohd Hamdan (4 months), Wallace Phang (7) Alvin Phang (12), and the female driver Ronany Ting (33).

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, he added.

The incident is believed to be one of the most deadly ferry incidents in Sarawak to date.

The post Triso tragedy: 4WD believed fallen from ramp, not ferry, says Masing. appeared first on Borneo Post Online.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3o6VKi7
via IFTTT