Chukai: "I was shocked as soon as I woke up to see a big barge in front of my boat," boat skipper Saiful Ridzuan Osman, 50 recounted the anxious moment when his boat collided into a barge approximately eight nautical miles from Kuala Kemaman yesterday.
He said he was not able to do much in time, and was only able to shout at his assitant and seven others to brace themselves for a collission.
He shared that the incident took place at about 6.30am when he and his assistant, Shahril Ismail, 50, took seven individuals namely Aina Husna Mohamad Husaini, 25, Yusof Kassam, 66, Siti Zamimah Mohman Zobini, 29, Rosnawi Harun, 50, Ain Farhana Mohamad Husaini, 30, Haziah Harun, 63, and Mat Ali Alahan, 66, for fishing.
He also said the barge did not only collide into his boat, but also caused his boat to sink almost to the bottom of the sea.
"I had to hold my breath for more than a minute to get out of my boat as I was worried that the barge was still on top of my boat, and that it was life-threatening."
"I managed to swallow sea water twice for energy before surging out to the surface of the water", he further said, and claimed that he could not sleep at night thinking about the incident.
According to Saiful, as soon as he reached the surface of the water, he called out to his assistant and the other victims, but there was no response.
"It was very dark at that moment. I swam to all directions to look for the other victims, but I could not find them".
"Not long later, I heard a cry for help, and I swam towards the voice. I found Siti Zamimah, Rosnawi, Haziah and Mat Ali at the end of the boat holding on to a fish barrel", he said.
According to him, all life jackets and many other things drifted to the middle of the sea.
"When I suddenly remembered that I kept two life jackets at a special compartment in the boat, I dove into the sea to retrieve them".
"I am grateful that at that moment, Allah gave me strength as I had to dive six times to retrieve both the safety jackets", he shared.
According to Saiful, when he was providing the life jackets to four other victims, he believed that Siti Zamimah had passed away and her body was pulled into the sea.
He further said that he discovered Siti Zamimah's clothes caught in the fishing rod that was connected to the inner part of the boat.
"I bit the fishing line until it broke before removing a rope that was wrapped around a safety buoy and tied to a fish barrel to make it easier for the victims to cling on", he said.
Saiful said, an hour later, he was once again shocked to hear cries for help from another victim, Ain Farhana.
"I swam towards Ain for 50m who was very weak at that moment as she swallowed a lot of water. Ain was the final vicitm who I saved".
"I put on the safety buoy for her and pulled her to safety where the other four victims were", he said.
A fishing trawler then rescued them and brought them back to the jetty.
Siti Zaminah and Shahril died in this tragedy, whilst two other victims, Aina Husna and Yusof are still not found.