SIBU: The body of Constable Iskandar Ibrahim, 28, a policeman who perished in the boat tragedy near SK Lepong Baleh in the Kapit Division near here, was found today, nine days after the incident occurred.
Iskandar was also the last victim to be found in the tragedy that also claimed the lives of another colleague, Sergeant Jonathan Lambert, and two civilians who were on the ill-fated boat that capsized after getting caught in a whirlpool in the waters of Sungai Batang Baleh at around 5 pm on March 7.
“Iskandar’s body, still fully dressed in police uniform, was found along Sungai Batang Rajang in the Seputin area, about two kilometres from the scene of the incident at 11.30 am,“ said Kapit Fire and Rescue Station (BBP) chief Timoty Barat when contacted by Bernama today.
He said a teacher, along with several other passengers aboard a passenger boat returning from SK Pelagus to Kapit, spotted the floating body in the river and immediately contacted the Kapit Fire and Rescue Department.
Upon receiving the information, the search and rescue (SAR) team rushed to the location and confirmed that the body was of the last victim of the boat tragedy.
Timoty said the victim's body was then handed over to the police for further action and the operation was ended by the Kapit District Police chief.
At the time of the incident, Constable Iskandar and Sergeant Jonathan were reported to be traveling from Kapit to Nanga Tulie to escort 35 kg of explosives along with detonators for rock blasting works for a road construction project in the Baleh area.
The SAR operation, initiated immediately after receiving the incident report, only managed to find three victims two days after the incident, with Jonathan's body found floating near the Kapit Express Boat Terminal, while the bodies of two civilians, Jack Balan, 45, and Amerson John Nain, 47, were found drifting more than 160 km from where the boat reportedly capsized.
Another civilian, Moses Ngui, 47, who was also in the boat at the time of the incident, was rescued by the public.
Meanwhile, Anis Nur Ezati, the wife of Iskandar, said she was grateful that her husband's body was found after nine days of search and rescue operation.
In an emotional post on her Facebook page today, Anis said her husband's body came to her on a blessed Friday of Ramadan.
She described his body as beautiful and flawless, similar to a white cloth without any blemish.
Anis thanked Iskandar for being a good husband and accepted his death as fated.
She prayed for his soul to be placed among the righteous. -Bernama
