Boat explosion: Witness shocked to see friends flung into the sea

LUMUT: “We heard a loud explosion and thinking something bad has happened, rushed out and I saw my friends flung into the sea and others into an adjacent boat,” said a commando who witnessed the explosion involving a boat at the Marine Jetty at Kampung Acheh in Manjung here yesterday.

The commando, who declined to be identified, said he was about 100 metres away from the scene when the incident happened.

“I and a few others at the scene then helped to carry the victims to safety,” he added.

Eight policemen from the General Operations Force in Ulu Kinta who were on the boat were injured in the incident which occurred about 9.30am. They were sent to Seri Manjung Hospital for treatment

According to the witness, who is also with the General Operations Force in Ulu Kinta, they were there attending a course which started on Feb 10 and scheduled to end on Feb 24.

“Today is the first day for outdoor training, which is for boat handling. Luckily, it was low ride tide then, which made easier for us to lift the victims to the jetty before they were sent to hospital,” he added.

According to Perak police chief Datuk Hasnan Hassan, the explosion was caused by a faulty boat engine

Meanwhile, Health Minister Datuk Seri S Subramaniam visited one of the victims who was at the Seri Manjung Hospital during his visit there yesterday.

He said two of the policemen were seriously injured and one of them, who sustained injuries on the chest and leg, had been referred to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital in Ipoh. — Bernama