Close shave for woman as ship hits her house
SIBU: The steering of a new supply vessel which was on a sea trial in the Igan River failed when its engine encountered problem, causing it to sail off course and brush against a house built on the riverbank at Kampong Hilir at 9.30am yesterday.
According to a Sarawak Rivers Board (SRB) spokesman, about seven minutes a er the vessel sailed from the shipyard, it encountered engine failure.
“As a result, the skipper lost control of the vessel, which had sailed into the direction of the portside and rammed into a house at the riverbank,” the spokesman said.
A tugboat passing by the area helped tow the vessel to the shipyard.
A video recording of the ship coming into contact with the house posted in the Facebook caused a stir among netizens.
In it, women could be heard shouting and screaming as the side of the ship slowly brushed against the house, causing parts of the house to break apart and fall into the river as it moves away.
SRB officers rushed to the scene of the incident to conduct an investigation.
Forty-year-old Sumui, a resident of the house, said she was “shocked beyond belief” when the ship came into contact with the house.
Pregnant with her fourth child, Sumui, who only gave her first name, related that she could not imagine what would have happened to her had she remained in the living room when the incident occured.
“I was in the living room when I heard the villagers shouting but I just went about minding my own business.
“I then went to answer nature’s call. It was then the shouts grew louder. By that time, the vessel had already hit my house and I ran as fast I could to the door to flee. There was nothing that I could do.
“I panicked and did not know what to do. I also heard workers on board the vessel quarrelling among themselves when the ship struck the house,” she told The Borneo Post.
She claimed seeing the ship being towed away but did not know where to.
“I understood that SRB is looking for the owner of the vessel,” Sumui said, adding that she has stayed there with her husband and three children since 2016.
She was uncertain where they would put up temporarily as the house was badly damaged and the structure had become very unstable.
“My belongings fell into the (Igan) river. I was lying in the living room, watching television but went to the toilet. Had I stayed there (living room), surely, it would had struck me. I had never expected this to happen,” she said in-between sobs.
Meanwhile, another resident, Rahayah Wahab claimed that there was damage to her kitchen, toilet and stilts of her house.
“I was working and immediately rushed home upon receiving a call from my sister-in-law about the incident at about 9.45am,” she related, adding that her sister’s house was also affected.
Meanwhile, Sibu Malay Community Association chairman Rabek Ali Hamid claimed the incident happened near his own residence.
“All the shipyards should be moved to Rantau Panjang area. There was one occasion when a newly launched ship nearly hit my mother’s house. This poses dangers to villagers staying near the riverbank,” he recounted.
Rabek Ali was relieved that nothing happened to his neighbour. “It is high time a retaining wall be constructed at the area,” he added.
It was learned that near misses had occurred a few times over the years.
Earlier, SRB personnel were spotted recording statements from those affected. Police were also seen in the area.