KUALA LUMPUR: Mutiar Nyodieng hopes the search and rescue (SAR) team would find her daughter who is still missing after the Sungai Kayan boat capsize incident in Lundu.
The 50-year-old acknowledged the slim chances of her daughter Alasma Jithil, 14, to being found alive, but she wanted closure after the tragedy.
"I hope police and firefighters can locate my daughter. Even if she is no longer alive, I want to see her remains," she said.
Alasma, who is the youngest of five siblings, took the boat daily to school as she needs to cross the river each morning.
Mutiar recounted the heartbreak she felt upon receiving the news of the incident yesterday morning.
"I was devastated when I heard about the tragedy that caused my daughter to go missing," she said when quoted by Sabah and Sarawak-based English daily.
She urged authorities to take swift action so that villagers no longer have to depend on boats to cross the river.
"We hope the government will consider constructing a bridge for residents of Kampung Selampit," she said.
The body of Vilkie Wilson, 15, was found floating in the river, approximately 10m from the Fire and Rescue Department operations centre at 11.58am today.
Acting Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department director Tiong Ling Hii told Berita Harian and Harian Metro that the body of a second victim, Helena Fasha Petrus, 16, was recovered by rescuers about 5.30pm today.
Alasma remains missing.
Lundu police chief Deputy Superintendent Damataries Lautin had previously said the boat capsize tragedy is believed to have been caused by overloading.
He said the initial investigation showed the wooden boat, carrying 20 passengers - 16 students and four adults along with a motorcycle - was crossing the river from Kampung Selampit around 6.15am. It was believed to have capsized as it reached the middle of the river.